A Test of Courage
by EternalxEmbers
Summary: Hanako is a girl who's trapped within the traumatic memories of what happened long ago; forever drowning in a past she can't change. Then out of nowhere someone new suddenly appears in her life, a boy who can set her free. But with Hanako's reluctance to open up to him and the boy's clear dislike of her, Hanako's saviour may also be the one to push her to the point of no return.
1. Prologue - Slipping Away

**Slipping Away**

**Prologue**

**^.^.^.^**

Bright rays of sun painted my skin in a golden glow as I bathed in it's warmth, the auburn streaks in my otherwise mousy brown hair highlighted as I lay in the reclined outdoor chair.

There wasn't a cloud around, allowing the sun full access to the sky today. It was surely a rare sight, especially being so far out to sea.

"Hey, Hana!" I fluttered my eyes open to the sound of a young voice yelling my nickname. I squinted against the rays of light and rolled onto my side, propping myself up on one elbow to get a better look at my little brother.

He wore a big smile that just screamed he was up-to-no-good again. His chestnut hair was unruly and sticking out every way imaginable, dirt, sand and a slimy green goop I couldn't -and didn't want to- place a name on dusting his cheeks, forehead and nose.

The four year old tyke stared at me with saucer-wide eyes, his hazel orbs practically sparkling with self-satisfaction. I couldn't hold in the small giggle as he grabbed my hand and tugged eagerly on it, wanting me to follow.

I reluctantly stood to my feet and allowed my little brother to tow me along, hand-in-hand. We're three years apart in age, but we're as close as twins. Not only do we share similar features, but we also have the same tastes in food, the same interests (minus the fact that I like dresses), and sometimes we even finish each others sentences.

He's practically my own little doppelganger! I knew from the moment he was born into this world that we'd have a strong connection; and I was right. My little brother and I are inseparable!

"What is it, Saki?" I asked as I crouched down beside him. He reached for a nearby bucket and pulled it towards us with his free hand, keeping a firm grip on my own with his other one.

"Look, look! I catcheded a crab! A crab!" He exclaimed excitedly, his chubby cheeks turning a slight shade of pink at his enthusiasm.

I laughed merrily and gently patted his head in praise. "Good job, Saki! But are you sure it wasn't dad that caught it for you?"

"No! I catcheded it myself! All on my own!" He boasted proudly, holding his head high. I giggled at the sight and gave him a quick one-armed hug.

"Well done then, little brother."

"Look, I'll show you!" I barely had a chance to find my feet before Saki was pulling me off to the other side of the yacht.

"Hey, slow down! We'll trip!" I yelped as my feet slid across a puddle on the deck.

I gripped the edge of the white railing that trailed around the entirety of the yacht and looked down into the shimmering blue ocean as Saki pointed at the crab nets.

"I finded it in there!" He announced, jabbing his little finger excitedly at the nets tied to the side of the boat.

I was about to congratulate him once again, but then the water caught my attention. It was changing. The ocean, which once resembled the colour of priceless sapphire jewels sparkling beautifully under the light of the sun, had shifted into a murky grey, the playful reflections of light disappearing and dark shadows beneath the surface taking their place.

The warm blanket enveloping my skin disappeared as an icy chill crawled down the length of my spine.

"What's wrong, Hana?" Saki questioned. He must've picked up on my sudden change in mood because he suddenly sounded as scared and confused as I felt.

I glanced up at the sky, gasping in shock at seeing the sun hidden behind one of the largest storm clouds I'd ever seen. The smoky mass of darkness stretched across the heavens, leaving no room for the giant star or the cobalt blue sky to peek through.

"Hana...? Hana? Hanako!"

I shook myself out of my trance and looked down to my little brother. His eyes were glassy from unshed tears and his bottom lip was quivering. I could feel the palm of his hand growing sweaty within the clasp of my own.

I tightened my hand around his and nudged him along as I ran back to the front of the yacht. Saki stumbled behind me as he tried to keep up.

"S-slow down, Hana!"

I ignored his protests and kept running. "Dad! Daddy!" I called, my vocals shaking from the fear I felt.

"Hana, Saki, where are you?!" I heard my father yell. I felt my heartbeat slow a little at the reassuring voice of my dad calling for us.

"We're here! We're coming!" I yelled back, hoping he'd hear. Just then thunder rolled through the sky and lightning was soon to follow it.

I ducked my head and shielded my face with my free hand as rain suddenly began to pour heavily. I gripped Saki's fingers with my own as we skidded across the slippery surface to our father.

"Hana, I can't run that fast! Stop! Hanako!" Saki shouted over the noise of the weather above us. I continued to ignore him as I tried to get us to safety. Why was this happening? Didn't dad say that the weather forecast was clear this weekend? Why is our family trip turning out this way? This isn't how it's supposed to be!

Another round of lightning cracked across the sky, but just as the thunder started to die down a single, large bolt of blinding light tore through the thick blanket of clouds, striking the ocean right beside our yacht. The boat shook from the impact of the bolt meeting the water. I yelped as I lost my footing and flew across to the other side, dragging my little brother with me.

The deafening roar of the thunder and Saki's petrified screams made it hard to hear my father calling out to us as we plummeted towards the menacing liquid.

Suddenly the yacht straightened up again and I barely missed going over the edge, my hip clipping the side of the boat. I cried out at the sharp pain travelling through the entire left side of me.

"Hana! Help!" Saki wailed, large, fat tear drops rolling from his eyes and staining his rosy cheeks.

I turned my head to see Saki dangling precariously over the edge, his brown leather boots and striped socks drenched from the water lashing up at him, reaching as high as it can to try and drag him in.

The feeling of Saki's entire weight pulling on my left arm was almost unbearable, and I knew that I couldn't hold onto him for much longer.

"Dad, help!" I called, hoping he'd hear. Saki sobbed uncontrollably as violent shivers wracked through his tiny frame. His hand was shaking so much it made it that much harder to keep a grip on him.

"Daddy please! Help! _Please!_ DADDY!" I screamed, my throat aching and my voice cracking by the end of it. "Help, please! Someone!" My desperate cries for help had turned into hiccuping sobs. No one was coming. No one was going to help. I was going to lose my little brother.

"Hana, I-... I can't hold on! I'm slipping!"

"No! Just hang in there! I've got you!" I cried, gazing at Saki through my blurred vision as tears of my own began to fall. "I won't let you go, I promise! Hold on! You have to! You have to..."

Saki closed his eyes and hiccuped his next words out, "I-I can't, I'm slipping! Save me Hana, please... I don't want to go! I don't want to leave you! I want to see mummy, and daddy! Please Hanako!"

A hiccuping sob of my own escaped through my quivering lips as I desperately tried to pull my little brother to safety, but the pain from bashing my hip earlier made it hard to lift him up.

"H-hold on...! Don't let go! I've got you. J-just stay calm, I'll save you, I promise. I promise...!" I gritted my teeth and tried to pull Saki up once again, but it only served to make my grip on his hand loosen.

"Dad, help me!" I screamed, squeezing my eyes shut tight as the fear of losing my only sibling took over all rational thoughts. But no matter how much I yelled, or shouted, or screamed; no one could hear me because of all the thunder overhead.

"Hana, I...!" I opened my eyes to see Saki's hand slipping out of my own. His fingers gradually slid through mine, holding on for all their worth until, finally, he had no more strength left.

"No... no! Saki! Nooo!" I wailed, stretching my arm as far as I could to try and catch him. I watched with wide eyes full of shock and disbelief as Saki's body met with the ocean. His eyes were just as wide as mine as his mouth gaped open in a silent scream of terror.

I could do nothing but watch as the cruel, sadistic waves lapped around his tiny form, engulfing him bit by bit until only his hand stuck out of the water, his little fingers stretching for something he couldn't reach.

And then even that was gone, too. Saki had been completely dragged under by the force of the water, leaving nothing but the raging surface behind, it's sinister licks and splashes against the side of the yacht mocking the loss of my only brother.

An over-whelming feeling of loss, loneliness and grief fell over me as my mind finally caught up to what I'd just seen. My brother... he's gone. My little brother... was ripped away from me. I'll never get to see his smile, or hear his laugh, or even hear him cry... ever again.

A gut-wrenching scream rang through the sullen atmosphere, chasing away the noise of the storm. Hysterical sobs followed shortly after, the only sound to be heard other than the distant rumbling of the passing storm.

"Hana? Hanko! What happened? Are you alright? Where's Saki?" Father questioned, pulling me tightly to his chest while stroking my tangled hair flat.

I latched onto his crumpled dress shirt and cried my eyes out against the already soaked fabric. I stretched one hand out towards the water, reaching out for the little brother that I'd lost, even though I knew it wouldn't bring him back.

"S-Saki...come...back... Saki. Saki! Come back! Don't leave me! Saki, please! S-Saki...!" I tried to lean over the edge and reach into the water, but my dad quickly stopped me and pulled me back to him, holding me against his chest as I lashed out in a fit of rage and anguish.

As I begged and pleaded my brother to come back to me, my dad finally caught on to what happened and squeezed me tightly, resting his head on my shoulder.

I quietened after hearing someone else crying, and realized it was my dad. He's crying too... he's sad as well. If daddy's crying then that means... Saki is never coming back.

I sniffled and hid my face in my father's shirt, my own anguished howling echoing off the walls of the yacht as we held onto each other and mourned the loss of our most cherished family member.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Chapter updated: 26/09/2015**


	2. One - Opposites Don't Attract

**Opposites Don't Attract**

**Chapter 1**

**^.^.^.^**

I awoke with a strangled scream, lurching forward in my bed and gripping the satin sheets in my shaking fists. My head swivelled in all directions, taking in my surroundings.

After my pulse returned to normal and my heart decided to stop abusing my rib cage I finally realised I was in my bedroom, not out in the chaotic sea. I exhaled the shaky breath I'd been holding and flopped back onto the pillows, groaning as I rolled onto my side and burrowed under the blankets.

I emerged once again from another restless sleep a few hours later and stumbled out the doorway and into the bathroom. I tried to avoid looking at myself in the mirror as I brushed my teeth, but it seems the temptation is always too much to resist.

The sight wasn't anything new to me, but for some reason the pile of ratty hair sitting atop my scalp always caught me off-guard. I grimaced at my reflection and continued brushing before spitting the bubbly mint into the basin and washing the toothbrush.

I trudged back to my room and lazily kicked the door shut before wondering over to the dresser. Pulling several items of clothing out, I finally decided on a simple attire. I wasn't doing or going anywhere particularly special today so I was free to wear whatever I wanted really; within reason.

As I dragged the brush through my messy locks I made my way into the kitchen, mumbling a quick 'good morning' to the photo frame of my parents sitting in the middle of the table.

I popped two pieces of bread into the toaster before opening the freezer and pulling out a piece of wrapped fish. Tossing the seafood into a pan, I turned back to the toaster as it popped and pulled out a plate from the cupboard above me.

Dropping the toast onto it I began to lightly butter the pieces before throwing the cooked fish on top. Admiring my oh-so-appetising dish, I scooped it up and fell into a sitting position next to the table.

The crinkle of turning the pages was almost deafening in the near silent room. My eyes scanned the news of today's local paper as I stuffed my face.

The usual was being advertised: Boats, trailers, cars, tatty furniture, even some unwanted animals had made it in this time.

Maybe getting a pet isn't such a bad idea? I wouldn't mind having a companion to talk to and a little extra responsibility is always good.

Wait, what am I saying? I shake my head furiously, closing the newspaper in a rather rough manner while quickly scratching that thought off the list.

When I was finished I pushed the now less-than-immaculate paper aside and stood to drop the plate off at the sink before exiting the back of the house.

Seeing my worn-out but incredibly comfy reclining chair sitting in the sun, beckoning me to join it, I couldn't help but race over to and sink into the all too familiar plushness.

I sighed heavily with content as I basked in the early morning rays, the dull tingles travelling across my skin lulling me back to sleep.

**. . .**

Haru let out a large yawn before rubbing the crust from his eyes. He stared at the digital numbers of his alarm clock and sighed heavily as he reluctantly rolled out of bed to start his morning routine.

When he was done in the bathroom he shuffled to the kitchen and made himself his usual mackerel on toast.

He stared out the window while sitting at the table, absent-mindedly chewing his food as he gazed longingly at the distant ocean. He grabbed the empty plate and sat it next to the sink before quickly making a beeline for the bathroom once more.

It'd taken all of his self-control plus extra to keep himself away from the tub long enough to eat something, but now that he was finished there was nothing holding him back any more. He stripped out of his pyjamas and tossed them aside carelessly before sinking into the depths of the water, a satisfied sigh escaping his lungs before completely submerging himself in the liquids embrace.

Haru wasn't sure just how long he'd been soaking in his tub, but he knew that it'd been longer than it felt when he heard the muffled sound of his doorbell ringing from under the water.

But he decided to ignore it, like always, and closed his eyes.

Besides, he knew the person would invite himself inside anyway. "I'm coming in!" He called while opening the unlocked door.

Haru listened carefully to the footsteps echoing around his house, and it took all he had to hold in his disappointed sigh as the bathroom door opened with a bang.

"How did I know you'd be here?" Makoto mused to himself, stepping over the strewn clothing before standing at the side of the bath. Makoto knelt down and stuck his hand in the cool water, waving it in front of his friends face.

Haru cracked his eyes open and grimaced at the intruding limb in his bathtub. Knowing he wasn't getting out of going to school today Haru pushed himself up, his head surfacing above the water again.

Shaking the collected drops from his hair, he turned enough to glance up at his oldest friend. Haru met the taller boy's eager grin with a frown of his own before accepting the extended hand.

"Ready to go, Haru-chan?" Makoto asked as he pulled Haru out of the bath and onto his feet. As usual, Haru was wearing his swimsuit.

"Stop calling me that." Makoto heard him grumble under his breath, only earning a chuckle from the taller boy.

Haru pulled a towel off the rack and began wiping himself off as he shuffled to his bedroom. Makoto waited next to the table for the boy to get dressed. He glanced at the fish watching him from it's bowl and couldn't help but smile.

Makoto leaned down to get a better look at the little thing, but it quickly swam to the furthest side of it's home to get away.

Haru came in a few minutes later, his hair partly dry and the shoulder and upper back part of his shirt growing damp from whatever water remained. Makoto shook his head at the sight but thought against saying anything. He knew it would do nothing but cause an argument, so he decided to stay quiet and instead followed the silent boy to the front door.

Haru locked the house once they were out and followed Makoto down the steps, not really paying attention to the other boy's conversation as his eyes locked onto the cobalt blue ocean, all thoughts directed towards how good it would feel to swim right now.

Makoto paused mid-sentence and glanced at his friend, seeing the clear longing shine behind those deep blue eyes of his. He smiled and picked the conversation back up even though he knew Haru wasn't hearing any of it.

**. . .**

As lunch rolled by the boys: Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa and Rei were all seated on the rooftop of the school, enjoying the gentle breeze on an otherwise hot summer's day.

Haru desperately wanted to dash over to the school's swimming pool, but they were waiting for their manager, Gou (or Kou as she preferred) to show up.

Clearly impatient, Haru blew out a silent breath and continued staring at the glassy surface of which he wanted to be submerged in.

Makoto eyed the uneaten food in Haru's bento before following his friend's gaze. Realising it lead to the pool, Makoto couldn't help but laugh, interrupting Rei and Nagisa's squabble for the time being.

"What's so funny, Makoto-senpai?" Rei questioned, not understanding why the brunette was chuckling to himself.

"Sorry, sorry. I was just watching Haru stare at the pool. He seems quite eager to start swimming today!" Makoto explained, wiping at his eyes.

"Well that's normal for Haru-chan! Water is the only thing he ever thinks about!" Nagisa piped up, leaning around Makoto to get a better look at Haru's face.

Haru huffed moodily and turned his head away from their prying eyes, but still kept his gaze on the pool.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm...late!" Gou gasped as she burst through the door to the roof and stumbled over to the waiting swimmers.

"Took you long enough! Gou is so slow!" Nagisa teased.

"It's...Kou!" Gou corrected him after catching her breath. "Alright, shall we head down to the pool?"

"Pool?" Haru whispered, his ears catching that one specific word. Without a second to waste Haru sprung to his feet and all but barrelled through the door, jumping the staircases three steps at a time to get down quicker.

Nagisa broke the silence with a laugh before jumping to his own feet. "Come on, we can't let Haru beat us!" He yelled, beckoning wildly for the others to follow before racing after his team mate.

"N-Nagisa!" Rei called, but the shorter boy was already too far to hear.

"Haru, Nagisa, wait up!" Makoto stumbled up from his spot on the roof and chased after the two, followed by a flustered Rei.

"You guys, wait! You can't run in the school!" Gou warned, but they didn't pay her any heed. She glanced at their lingering lunches on the rooftop and sighed in defeat before following after them in a hurry, an exhausted groan leaving her lips.

Haru pushed the school doors open with a bang before beelining it to the waiting pool. He gazed at the shiny surface reflecting the sun, the slight waves creating enticing ripples that only beckoned him further.

Pushing the gate aside, Haru quickly wriggled out of his uniform, not missing a single step as he tossed his shoes and socks aside just before leaping towards the pool, his hands creating the perfect opening as he dived under the surface, slipping into the waters comforting hold once more.

He flipped over so his back faced the bottom of the pool and opened his eyes, seeing the outside world above him. A feeling of complete serenity engulfed the boy as his eyes slipped shut again and he gracefully spiralled below the surface.

"Unbelievable," Gou sighed, standing by the edge of the pool as she watched Haru swim effortlessly through the water, hands placed on her hips. "He's already in!"

"Well, you know Haru..." Makoto laughed it off. Gou puffed her cheeks out in disapproval but made no further actions against the raven-haired boy.

"Wait for us, Haru-chan!" Nagisa cried as he came running in only wearing his swimsuit, dragging a staggering Rei behind him.

"N-Nagisa, wait a sec-!" Rei didn't have time to finish as the short blonde pulled him into the water forcefully.

Rei cried out as he fell rather ungracefully into the pool with a splat. Nagisa surfaced after diving in and laughed at the perplexed look on his friend's face.

Makoto sighed and shook his head while Gou rolled her eyes and tapped her pen against the clipboard impatiently.

"Ah, that's right, I'm supposed to be picking her up!" Makoto suddenly shouted, the colour draining from his cheeks as he realised what the time was.

"I-I'll be right back, Kou!"

"Wait, where are you-...?" Gou watched, mouth agape, as Makoto scurried back the way he'd came, but instead of going back to the school he ran across the road and down the footpath.

"What was that all about?" Rei asked while re-adjusting his glasses.

"Whooooa, does Mako-chan have a _girlfriend_?!" Nagisa joined in, swimming to the edge of the pool so he could rest his crossed arms on the wet concrete.

"Impossible. Surely he would've told us before now, right?" Gou muttered, reclining into one of the beach chairs lined along the fence.

"Makoto tends to only tell Haru about those sorts of things." Rei pointed out.

"Good point, let's ask him!" Nagisa pushed away from the wall and waved his arms wildly above his head to get the swimming teens attention.

Haru caught Nagisa's flailing in his peripheral vision and went to join the others, his head finally surfacing for the first time since he jumped in.

"Hey, Haru-chan, does Mako-chan have a girlfriend?"

Haru gave Nagisa a look that clearly said he hadn't heard anything about it before answering with a simple, "No."

Nagisa hummed under his breath while Rei shared a confused look with Gou.

"I wonder who it is then?" Gou finally asked the question they'd all been thinking about. Well, all except Haruka.

He didn't care in the least about what was going on, the only thing on his mind was the need to swim. Haru took a deep breath before diving once more, the feeling of cold liquid gliding over his skin one that he'd missed for a long time.

"Sorry everyone!" The other three members turned their heads to see Makoto making his way back to the pool, a brown cardboard tray holding five soft-serve ice-creams.

"That was quick!" Gou commented, rushing over to take the ice-creams from Makoto.

"Apparently she'd already started walking this way." Makoto rubbed the back of his head as he explained the situation to the others, a sheepish smile plastered to his face.

"Who wants ice-cream?" Gou called, grabbing Nagisa and Rei's attention. Both climbed out and quickly scooped up a cone each, leaving three behind.

"So where is she?" Nagisa questioned, licking the melted sides of his dessert.

"Uh, she's er-...over there." Makoto pointed a finger in the direction of a person standing several yards away from the pool, beneath the shade of a tree.

"Why is she all the way over there?" Rei squinted to try and get a better look at the stranger, but she was too far and his glasses were still wet so he couldn't see a thing.

"She um, she's not-" Just as Makoto was about to answer Haru jumped out of the pool, shaking the water from his hair before reaching for one of the icy treats.

"You should bring her over here!" Gou spoke up, earning an uncertain glance from the backstroke swimmer.

"I don't th-"

"Oh, come on! If you don't, I will!" Nagisa chimed in, cracking his knuckles to show that he wasn't kidding.

Makoto exhaled heavily before turning back and going over to the stranger everyone wanted to meet.

After much coaxing and a lot of reassurance, the brunette was finally able to convince the mystery girl to move a little closer. With shallow breaths and a death grip like no other on Makoto's arm the girl reluctantly followed.

"Here she comes!" The blonde announced, looking as excited as a five year old on Christmas morning.

Makoto winced at the loss of circulation in his arm but didn't dare to try and ask her to loosen up a little. It would only result in the girl clinging to his head as she tried to climb on his back.

"Wow, she's so pretty!" Nagisa was the first to speak as all pairs of eyes were drawn to the stranger. "I wish she was my girlfriend!"

"_G-girlfriemd_?!" Makoto choked on the words and almost inhaled his ice-cream in the process. "We're..._related_!" He sputtered, slamming a fist into his chest as he tried to stop the coughing fits.

"So does that mean I can have her?" Nagisa asked eagerly.

"Nagisa! Watch what you say!" Rei scolded, his cheeks tinted in a pink hue at the shorter boys brashness.

"I was only asking." Nagisa defended.

Makoto sighed in exasperation as he shot an apologetic look at the girl clinging to his arm. He gestured to the others with his head and the girl gave a hesitant nod.

"Guys," Makoto called to get his team mates attention. "This is Hanko-"

"...Hanako." The girl corrected quietly.

Makoto smiled and continued. "-_Hanako_ Tachibana. Her real name is Hanko, but she prefers if you call her Hanako."

"Hanko?" Gou repeated, then suddenly her face lit up. "That's a boy's name!"

Hanako blushed deeply and averted her eyes to the sandals covering her feet.

"Oh sorry, it's just that I have a boy's name too. It's nice to have someone else around that I can relate to!" Gou explained, coming up to the girl and laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Hanako smiled weakly before glancing at the other swimmers.

"So she's your sister? I thought you only had one..." Rei interrupted.

"No, we're cousins. Both our fathers share the same last name." Makoto explained.

"Well, Hana-chan should come swimming with us!" Nagisa piped up, finishing the last of his ice-cream off before grabbing the girl's free hand and pulling her towards the pool.

Hanako's eyes widened and her entire body became stiff, making it hard for the blonde to move her.

"N-Nagisa, that's not a good-"

"Come on, Hana-chan!" Nagisa ignored Makoto's feeble attempt at warning him and continued tugging on the girls hand.

Hanako's fearful eyes darted towards the water lapping gently as the edges. Her heart was beating rapidly and her pulse thumped in her ears.

The brunette screamed in protest and yanked her hand out of the boys, clinging onto the back of Makoto's shirt as she desperately tried to take some kind of shelter behind him.

Nagisa froze in place, his hand lingering in the air. "What...?"

"Ah...sorry about that, but she kind of hates water." Makoto let out a nervous laugh.

Haru felt his grip on the ice-cream loosen, the delicious treat slipping from his fingers and plummeting to the ground. The sound of the dessert hitting the concrete drew everyone's attention his way.

In all his life, Haru never thought he'd ever meet someone who hated water. He never thought anyone _could_ hate water. It was unfathomable to him.

Haru stared in shock at the frightened girl cowering behind his best friend and took an unconscious step back. He suddenly felt very dry. _Too_ dry.

And looking at the girl only made him feel worse. As if she were a desert, Haru quickly back tracked to the pool and dove in, a feeling of bliss overcoming him as his body met with the refreshing liquid once more.

The other teens let out suppressed laughs as they watched Haru swim as fast as he could to get away from the girl who he probably thought shouldn't even exist.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Chapter updated: 26/09/2015**


	3. Two - Settling In

**Settling In**

**Chapter 2**

**^.^.^.^**

The town was lit in a beautiful array of colours as the sun began to fall below the horizon, the giant stars reflection glimmering on the surface of the ocean.

Makoto stretched his arms high above his head before releasing the breath he'd been holding. Him and his friends had decided to drop by the ice-cream parlour after practice.

He turned and leaned against the railing to watch the group conversing with each other. Makoto had been a bit worried that his cousin, Hanako, would be too intimidated by his friends after what happened at the pool, but it seemed his worries were misplaced as she quietly laughed along with the rest at one of Nagisa's many antics.

However, Makoto's worries should've been placed on his best friend. For the rest of the day Haru had done nothing but avoid Hanako like the plague. Every time they accidentally came within more than a meter of each other Haruka was quick to replace the gap between them.

The entire walk through town was one awkward struggle for Makoto as he tried to chat with Haru, who'd been distancing himself a good few meters behind the rest of the group, while also pay attention to his cousin so she wouldn't feel left out.

Though Gou had offered to take care of Hanako in his place, Makoto just wouldn't feel right leaving his cousin in the hands of someone she didn't quite know; not that he didn't trust Gou, but he was more worried about Hanako being uncomfortable.

Ever since that incident when she was little Hanako had separated herself from everyone except him, so he was cautious to leave her in anyone else's company.

Makoto turned his attention away from the noisy table his friends occupied to the quiet raven-haired boy standing beside him.

Haru stood with his back to everyone as he gazed out at the orange tinted water, his arms crossed and his elbows resting on the white railing in front of him.

The brunette smiled and pulled himself up so he was sitting on the bar. "Haru." He called to get the other boys attention.

Haru blinked away his thoughts and shifted his deep blue eyes towards the other teen.

Makoto was about to ask why he had such a problem with his cousin, but quickly thought better of it and instead decided to ask, "Shall we start heading home?"

Instead of responding Haru turned his attention to the calm, serene view of the ocean once more before blowing out a small puff of air and pushing away from the railing.

Makoto took that as a 'yes' and went back to the table, drawing attention away from Nagisa's loud outbursts.

"What is it, Makoto-senpai?" Rei asked, being the first one to notice the brunette sidle up next to their table. The others turned once they heard Rei speak his name.

"I think it's time to call it a day." He replied, smiling sheepishly as Nagisa whined and stuck his bottom lip out.

"But Mako-chan! It's still so early!" The blonde argued, pointing towards the sun which was almost completely gone now.

"It's almost time for dinner and we don't want our parents getting mad now, do we?" Rei spoke up, siding with Makoto.

"You too, Rei? That's not fair!" Nagisa proceeded to weakly hit his fists against the blue-haired boy's chest as he stood from his seat.

"Hey, Nagisa, stop it!"

"I guess you're right. My brother will be furious if I stay out any longer." Gou said with a sigh before standing up and pushing her chair in.

"Let's go, Hanako." Makoto stretched his hand out to the brunette girl still seated at the table. She gave him a small smile before accepting his offer to help her up.

Haru watched from the corner of his eye as Makoto pulled the water-hater to her feet before pushing her chair in so it was out of the way.

When Makoto met his stare with smiling green eyes of his own Haru huffed and turned his head in the other direction. Makoto couldn't help to snigger at his best friend's sudden change in behaviour.

"Well, I'll be going now. Good bye!" Gou called, waving to everyone as she jogged down the street.

"Bye~! Say hi to Rin-chan for us!" Nagisa shouted, waving both his arms above his head in farewell.

"I guess we'll be taking our leave as well." Makoto announced. The taller boy exchanged goodbyes with the two youngest members of the swim team before turning to see Haru already walking away.

"Haru, wait up!" Makoto called, dragging a surprised Hanako along behind him.

Haruka turned his head enough to glance at his friend over his shoulder. Upon seeing the girl trailing behind Makoto he quickly turned back and sped up, but his quick strides couldn't compare to his best friend's long legs and the green-eyed boy eventually caught up to him.

Haru blew out a silent sigh of frustration as Makoto started droning on about how exciting tomorrow was going to be. Usually he wouldn't mind his friend's animated ramblings, in fact, he found them rather comforting. But today he just wasn't in the mood.

And for the first time in his life he wished the path to his house wasn't the same one that Makoto had to take.

Seeming to notice that Haru wasn't liking the idea of communicating Makoto directed his conversation to the girl on his other side, his happy-go-lucky tone never faltering once.

Hanako replied in small sentences, something Haru couldn't help but notice as he compared her and Makoto. In fact, if you looked past the physical traits, the two were nothing alike. Feeling irritated at himself for even bothering to waste his time _thinking_ about the water-hater, he tilted his head to narrow his harsh stare at the footpath.

Every time he caught the slightest movement from Hanako in his peripheral vision he edged that much father away from the two, something that hadn't slipped by Makoto.

As the trio reached the top of the steps to Haruka's house Makoto smiled brightly and warned his friend about not staying in the bath too long or he'd catch another cold.

Haru ignored the brunette as he pulled a key from the pocket of his pants and unlocked the door.

"I'll be here bright and early to pick you up, Haru-chan!" Makoto promised.

"You don't have to," Haru muttered. "And lay off the -chan already."

Makoto huffed out a laugh as the raven-haired boy opened the door and stepped inside. "See you tomorrow, Haru."

"Goodbye, Nanase." Hanako mumbled quietly, bowing slightly to the older boy.

Haru didn't bother to respond as he shut the door behind him, albeit roughly.

**. . .**

I straightened up and stared at the door with wide eyes, wondering what I'd done wrong.

"Was it something I said?" I asked as I turned to face my cousin. Makoto smiled sweetly and made his way back down the steps.

"Don't worry, it's nothing you did," Makoto assured me before glancing off into the distance. A look of guilt quickly replaced his earlier smile as he sighed and turned onto another street. "Haru isn't usually this bad. I think it's because of what I said at the pool."

"What you said?" I questioned, giving the taller boy a quizzical look as I followed after him.

"When I explained to the group that you hated water, I think Haru took it as a personal insult." Makoto explained, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"An insult... but why?"

My cousin exhaled heavily before dropping his shoulders. "Haru, he... well, it's a little hard to explain, but I guess you could say he has a kind of... connection to water. A deep one."

I stayed silent as I thought that over in my head. A connection to water? Like, a _bond_ with it?

"I'm not sure I understand..." I admit after the minutes of silence became too much to bare. "Water is just water."

"Not to Haru." Makoto sighed as the Tachibana's house came into view.

"But water can't feel, it can't breathe. It can't _live_. The only thing it does is...take away life." I whispered the last part so quietly that I wasn't even sure if Makoto had heard it or not, but judging by the way his features darkened, he knew what I was thinking.

In an attempt to brighten up my spirits he quickly jumped in front of me to open the gate to his yard before stretching one arm out and gesturing to the building before us.

"Welcome to my home!"

I plastered on a fake smile for his sake and followed him through the gate. I fiddled nervously with the corner of my tank top as we walked down the cobbled path cutting through the grass and leading to the front door.

"I'm sorry for intruding on you so suddenly like this. It's just... now that I'm evicted from my home and my dad is-... well, I don't really have anywhere else to stay."

"It's alright," Makoto smiled sadly at me as we paused in front of the door. He turned to face me completely before laying one of his big hands on top of my head. "Family have to help each other out in times of need, right?"

I beamed up at my cousin and wiped the brimming tears before they could fall. "Yeah." I agreed softly.

Just then the door opened with a slam and two children came running out, both throwing themselves at Makoto.

"Big brother!" They cried happily, hugging his arms and legs. Makoto stumbled to regain his balance and laughed at his siblings enthusiasm.

"Come on now you two, I can't walk like this!" Makoto scolded playfully. I watched with ambivalence as the close-knit siblings argued light-heartedly amongst each other.

Unable to bear it any longer I turned my back on the happy greeting and peered inside the house. Just as I was about to step in someone came running down the hallway.

"Ah, I thought I heard my son's voice!" Makoto's mother spoke, wiping her soapy hands on a greasy apron tied around her waist. It didn't take long for her to notice me however, and as soon as she did she gasped in delight and swept me up in her tight embrace.

"It's so good to see you again, Hanako!" She sang as she spun me around. I fumbled to get a grip on her arms as I felt myself slipping ever so slowly from her hold.

"P-please, put me down!" I cried, but my voice was muffled from my face being pressed into her shoulder.

Feeling that she'd finally hugged me long enough, my aunt dropped me to my feet and held me at arms distance, her aging hands resting on my shoulders.

"My, how you've grown! She's such a beautiful lady now, isn't she Mako dear?"

"M-mum! You're asking _me?!_ I can't say something like that about my cousin!" Makoto whined. I turned to give him a threatening stare, to which he quickly backed away from with his hands in front of him.

"N-n-not to say that you aren't, Hanako!" He stammered out, his eyebrows twitching at my piercing gaze.

I stifled a laugh and eased up. I felt a little bad about it, but it was fun to know that I could still intimidate him like that, even if he is taller than me now.

"Now, who's ready for dinner?" Makoto's father called. The children barrelled past us to be the first at the table.

"Ah, Hanako! Long time no see." Their father called, only just noticing me standing in the doorway. "Come, come. We can catch up over dinner!"

Without needing any further encouragement I stepped through the threshold, waiting for Makoto to do the same before we made our way into the dining room.

**. . .**

The night flew by and before I knew it a new day had already started. As I stood outside waiting for my cousin to put his shoes on I couldn't help examining the garden. The grass was a healthy shade of green, as well as just about everything else connected to the Tachibana's lawn. The flowers were blooming brilliantly and there subtle aromas helped to calm my first school-day nerves.

As my eyes wandered across the gentle grass moving with the wind, I spotted something that hadn't been there the last time I'd visited. Crouching down to inspect it, I realised it was a grave for the families pet fish.

"Ah, so you found it." I jumped at the sound of Makoto's voice right behind me. I stood back up and turned around, surprised to see just how close my cousin actually was.

Trying to avoid bumping into him I shuffled back to put some distance between us, but the sole of my shoe rolled over a stray rock and I ended up losing my balance.

I cried out as I saw the world turn and felt my feet fly out from underneath me. But luckily I had a relative with good reflexes, so just as my backside was about to meet with the ground a strong hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back up.

"Thanks." I breathed in relief.

"It was my fault, sorry about that!" Makoto apologised, smiling sheepishly like he always did in these sorts of situations.

I guess some people just don't change...I mused silently before running over to the gate and opening it. "Better hurry up or we'll be late!"

"Hold on a second, we have to go pick up someone first."

"Someone?" I repeated, turning to glance at Makoto. He smiled and closed the gate behind him before taking off in the opposite direction of the school.

"Haru, of course." He replied casually. I felt my stomach drop and instantly slowed to a crawl, allowing Makoto to stroll on ahead without noticing.

The thought of having to endure an entire day of that silent boy's obvious dislike for me quickly brought down the earlier hype I'd been in this morning. All of a sudden, I didn't feel so well.

**. . .**

"Haru-chan!" Makoto called, glancing up at the second floor when he received no response. "Ugh, again?" He sighed, reaching out and pushing the door open before stepping inside.

"M-Makoto...! You can't just let yourself in like that!" Hanako whispered harshly, though neither her or the green-eyed boy knew why she was trying to be quiet.

"What if he's still asleep?" She insisted, latching onto her cousins arm in an attempt to slow him down.

"Doubtful." Makoto rejected the idea almost immediately, leaving Hanako to wonder just how many times he's broken in if he knows what his friend is and isn't doing.

Once the girl realised that her relative was heading in the direction of the wash room her brows furrowed with confusion.

"Why are we going in here?" She asked, unable to help herself.

"To get Haru out of the bath, of course." Makoto replied nonchalantly, as if that were the most normal thing to say in a situation like this.

"T-the _bath_?!" Hanako screeched in a tone a few octaves higher than normal. At the thought of seeing a butt-naked boy who hated her guts she quickly released her cousins burly arm and covered her reddening face in embarrassment.

"I-... I'll wait outside!" She squeaked, leaving no time for Makoto to explain the situation properly as she practically sprinted towards the nearest exit, her sudden burst of speed putting all Olympic runners to shame.

Makoto was about to tell her that Haru would be in his swimsuit anyway, but the girl was gone before he could even utter the first word. With a sigh he entered the bathroom and proceeded to coax his friend out of the tub like he did almost every morning.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Chapter updated: 26/09/2015**


	4. Three - Reluctant Holiday

**Reluctant Holiday**

**Chapter 3**

**^.^.^.^**

"Alright! We have a joint practice with Samezuka today and another one later on in the week!" Gou announced, reading off her clipboard.

"Wah~! It's been forever since we last swam with Samezuka's team!" Nagisa exclaimed, getting all excited over the news.

"It's only been a couple months, Nagisa." Rei corrected, giving the shorter boy an exasperated look.

"A couple months is too long! _Too long!_" The blonde complained, throwing himself at Rei and clinging to the boys shirt.

"Hey, hey! Let go, you're stretching it!"

"Oi, you two..." Makoto sighed at the sight of Rei and Nagisa's squabble before turning to Haruka, hoping for help.

But as always, his best friend was completely fixated on his mackerel bento and ignoring the commotion beside him.

"Hey! Pay attention!" Gou yelled, grabbing the attention of the culprits who started the whole disturbance.

"Now," She continued after taking a breath. "I've organised with my brother a place for us to stay during the week, so we don't have to travel back and forth."

"We get to see Rin-chan again!" Nagisa burst, unable to hold it back. Rei sighed at the other boy's lack of self-control and Makoto glanced in Haru's direction.

The quiet boy's hand paused, holding his chopsticks just millimetres away from his lips, his eyes widening ever so slightly. Now _that_ caught his attention, Makoto noted with amusement.

He knew that Haruka badly wanted to see Rin. They'd finally become friends again after so long, but because of their tight training schedules Rin and Haru hadn't had the chance to hang out like they used to when they were kids.

"Ah, but Makoto, what about your cousin?" Rei spoke up, snatching back the brunette's attention.

"Eh?" Makoto replied unintelligently, swinging his head around to face the others.

"That's right, didn't your parents say that it was your responsibility to take care of her?" Nagisa chimed in, leaning forward as he placed his hands on the ground.

"Now, now, I'm sure she can take care of herself. She's not a baby or anything." Gou interrupted, feeling that she had to defend the absent girl against the belittling comments from the swimmers.

"No, they're right." Makoto intercepted, pinching his chin between his thumb and index finger as he thought. It wasn't that Makoto thought his cousin needed to be babied, but he knew that without him there at home Hanako wouldn't cope. Especially with his younger siblings.

After that terrible accident, Hanako's never quite been the same when it comes to children...

"Maybe I should stay behind on this one." Makoto said with a sigh, rubbing sheepishly at the nape of his neck.

"Wah?!" Nagisa cried, scrambling to his knees and shuffling towards Makoto with the saddest pouty face he could muster. "But you have to come! It wouldn't be the same without you there!"

"The point of us going is to train, it wouldn't be right to only take three of you there and leave the other behind." Gou agreed.

"Perhaps we could talk sensei into letting her join us?" Rei suggested, pushing his red glasses up.

"Uh, I don-"

"Just leave her behind. Don't let someone like that near water." Haru spoke up. It was the first time he'd joined in the the conversation, but it didn't prove to be of any help in solving it. In fact, Makoto vaguely remembered Haru saying something similar about Rei after Nagisa suggested that maybe he didn't like water.

"Oi, Haru-chan..." Makoto slumped his shoulders and sent a somewhat tired and exasperated look towards his best friend, who only continued to ignore him.

"But will sensei let us take someone who isn't in the swimming club with us?" Gou questioned, looking doubtful.

"Maybe if we appeal to sensei's good side she'll agree!" Nagisa said.

"And just how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Rei asked, albeit uncertainly.

"Well, first we-"

"Actually, no. I don't think I want to hear it." The butterfly swimmer abruptly cut the blonde off, placing a hand to his forward as he tried to forget the wild images running through his head.

"I guess we have no choice but to ask." Gou spoke, exhaling.

"I don't think she'll want to come-..." Makoto began but Nagisa was quick to overtake him.

"I'm sure if we explain the situation to her she won't have a problem with it!"

"I really doubt-"

"She doesn't have to come with us to practice. Hanako can stay at the hotel or go sight-seeing while we're busy." Gou interrupted quickly, cutting off the slightly frustrated brunette.

"I'm sure your cousin is curious to explore the town a little more, only having just moved in." Rei joined in, leaving no room for Makoto to object.

"Exactly! It'll be like a short vacation away from school, with no water near her for miles!" Nagisa spoke up.

Haru felt one of his chopsticks fall from his fingers at the suggestion of water being miles away. His skin was starting to dry out from just the _thought_ of it.

"Don't over-exaggerate, Nagisa." Rei sighed, making the blonde drop his arms.

Everyone went quiet and glanced at Makoto from their positions on the roof of the school, waiting on his response. He briefly glanced over each hopeful face and looked away just as quickly, feeling defeated.

He shifted his eyes in Haru's direction, noting that the boy had once again paused in eating to listen in, but still kept his eyes elsewhere.

Makoto exhaled heavily and dropped his head, seeing no way out of this.

"Alright, I'll ask her." He mumbled through his lips. The other teenagers jumped up in victory and high-fived each other happily.

"Alright, we'll go beg to sensei! Come on, Rei-chan!" Nagisa bellowed, latching onto the surprised butterfly swimmer's arm and pulling him along.

"And we'll go and convince Hanako, right, Makoto?" Gou stood in front of the brunette and offered her hand to him, to which he took reluctantly.

"I guess so." He replied, allowing the girl to pull him to his feet.

"Alright! You come too, Haru!" Gou grabbed the raven-haired boys shirt and pulled him up also before dragging the two boys down the flight of stairs.

"W-wai-" Haru started, but was quickly cut off as he stumbled to find his footing on the staircase. He glanced longingly at the uneaten mackerel bento before huffing in irritation and limply following behind the other two.

**. . .**

I hunched my shoulders against the growing wind as I waited beside Makoto at the front of his house. One hand clutched at the small travel case filled with clothing and toiletries, the other clung to the corner of my cousin's sleeve.

Makoto glanced down at me and gave a reassuring smile, saying everything would be fine; which didn't help to calm my nerves. But for his sake I sent a wary smile back and averted my gaze to my sandals.

I really wasn't looking forward to the trip. Yes, Makoto's friends are nice- well, most of them, and they did say that I don't have to be anywhere near the other school while they train. But for once, it's not the water that's worrying me.

My eyes caught the sudden loose pebbles on the side of the street begin to jump daintily across the asphalt, and a few seconds later the sound of a vehicle pushing over the hill became present in the otherwise silent atmosphere.

My stomach dropped to my feet as Makoto's face lit up at the sight of a van cruising down the road. The car crawled up to the curb, before eventually stopping in front of us.

"Time to go, Hanako." Makoto called to get my attention. I shared a glance with my cousin before swallowing past the lump in my throat and watching with bated breath as the large door of the van rolled open with a squeak.

Three heads- red, blonde and blue, popped out to say hello, and I immediately knew the owners of said hair colours. There was one missing though. I felt the slightest amount of hope swell within my chest as my eyes searched the space of the vehicle for the single head of hair that wasn't hanging out in greeting.

I squinted to see past the grimy layer coating the back windows. My heart sped up and my chest constricted as I saw a faint shadow in the very back seat, irritated blue eyes connecting with mine.

I cracked under the intensity of his burning gaze and quickly backed down from the stare, feeling the earlier dread leaking back in. A mix of disappointment and discomfort washed over me as I realised it was going to be a long, awkward trip to Samezuka.

**. . .**

Just as I predicted, the road trip to Samezuka had indeed been awkward, to say the least. Not only did I have to travel in the same car as the person who hates my guts, but I also had to sit _beside _him.

Apart from Nagisa (who called shotgun) I was the only other person small enough to fit in the middle seat, so there I was, squashed between Rei and Haruka in the back. Their elbows digging into my ribcage every time the teacher drove over a bump or sped around the corners.

Now, I wasn't the only one unhappy with this arrangement; because going by the look on Haru's face he disliked this situation as much as I did.

And then there was Rei. Every time his arm made contact with me, which happened quite often, his face would darken to a slightly more noticeable shade of red and he'd fumble to adjust his glasses, even if they were sitting perfectly in place across his nose.

If it weren't for Nagisa encouraging Makoto, Gou and the teacher to sing '100 bottles on the wall' with him, I think I would've died from embarrassment. The constant glaring blue eyes reflected in the window didn't help to lower my anxiety, either.

I sighed heavily as I all but stumbled out of the roller door of the van, finally glad to be in open space once again. Gou chuckled and came to stand beside me, joining in as I stretched out all the built up cramps.

"Have fun back there?" She teased light-heartedly. I returned her smile and rolled my shoulders out, hearing a satisfying pop.

"Could've been worse." I waved a hand dismissively in the air, brushing it off as no big deal. But in all actuality that had to be the worse road trip I've ever been on in my life.

"Alright, you lot. Grab your things and take them to your rooms while I go get us some groceries for dinner tonight." The teacher spoke, popping the boot and swinging it open to reveal our luggage.

Makoto took the liberty of passing everyone their bags before reaching for his own. I thanked my cousin and gripped the handle tightly as not to drop it.

The teacher climbed back into the van and waved a quick farewell before driving off down the street, claiming she'd be back in an hour or two.

Following the Iwatobi Swim Team, I struggled to hold on to my bag as we trudged up the stairs single-file. "Shall I take that for you?"

I looked up to find Rei had paused two steps above me, twisting around to hold his hand out for my luggage.

"O-oh no, it's alright. I think I'll manage." I assured him quietly, giving him a small smile when he looked doubtful. His cheeks were suddenly dusted with a rosy hue and he sharply turned back around, continuing up the steps with a firm nod.

Makoto stopped beside me and stifled his laughter at his friends behaviour.

"Was it something I said?" I questioned, feeling confused.

"No, no, it was nothing you said." Makoto reassured me. Just then Nagisa bounced up behind us and swung his arms over our shoulders, his shoulders rather lop-sided from our obvious height difference.

"Rei-chan gets flustered easily, especially around girls!" Nagisa yelled the last bit to make sure the blue-haired swimmer heard him clearly.

I winced and covered my ringing ear, Nagisa's mouth having been right near my head at the time.

"Oi! Nagisa!" Rei scolded, his face so red that even his ears were tinted in the hue.

Nagisa laughed and slid between us to catch up to Rei, bonking him swiftly on the head before running even further up the stairs. I heard protests from Gou as Nagisa pushed past her, being chased by a furious Rei.

I giggled at the exchange between the two and placed a hand to my mouth to cover the growing smile on my face. Makoto sighed before laughing quietly to himself.

Sharing an amused look with my cousin, we continued to the third floor, the glaring sapphire eyes burning holes in my back temporarily forgotten.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Chapter updated: 26/09/2015**


	5. Four - Touring Gone Wrong!

**So I usually put the Author's Notes at the end of the chapter, simply because I think it looks messy when put at the beginning. But I decided to put it up here because I thought what I have to say might gain more attention then what it would down below.**

**Now a reviewer made a comment that Hanako seems to be acting like she wants to be "romantically involved" with Makoto, and I'm sorry if I portrayed her in that way at all, but she in fact does not want any sort of romantic relationship with him.**

**That being said, she is really close to him though, because they are cousins and at the time of the accident he was the only other kid she knew around her age.**

**So after losing her only sibling she very much "adopted", I guess you could say, Makoto as a brother. Especially since she spent most of her childhood with him, but I don't want to spoil too much as it has yet to come into the story.**

**And again, after the incident she did isolate herself from everyone but him, as was previously mentioned. So she's obviously going to feel really uncomfortable in packed environments with people she doesn't know, and will heavily depend on Makoto for psychological support and all that sort of stuff, hence the really "clingy/affectionate" attitude towards her cousin.**

**I apologise if this is really long, and I'm not in any way trying to be rude or mean to the reviewer, I just wanted to explain her reasons for being the way she is towards her cousin and clear up the misunderstanding, though I know it's purely my own fault, as I've clearly written her character in a way that I did not intend and did not realise I have done so. I shall try to make it seem more like a "relative" relationship from here on.**

* * *

After unpacking our bags and squabbling for a good half hour over who got what room, we were finally ready to start sight-seeing, much to my dismay. It's not that I don't want to hang out with Makoto and his friends, it's just...suddenly travelling with a club that I'm not even apart of, with people who I've only just met not even a week ago, to train at a different school that I didn't even know existed before, it's just all a bit overwhelming, to say the least.

I know it was for Makoto's sake that I came (not that I really had much of a choice with Nagisa's persistence), but it just doesn't feel..._right_. I feel like I'm intruding, so to speak. Like I'm the annoying little tag-along that no one really wants around, but they had to take with them because there was no other choice.

I honestly just don't belong amongst Makoto's friends. They're all close-knit buddies while I'm the hydrophobic transfer student with anxiety issues. I mean, they're a _Swimming Club_ for crying out loud! What am I doing hanging out with them? I thought I'd sooner see the depths of hell before stumbling my way into a _Swimming Club_!

I think I'd much rather dance with the devil!

Sighing, I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my chin on top, staring out the window of the hotel room I shared with Gou and their teacher. Tree-lined roads, traffic and buildings stretched out from my window, with tiny glimpses of the ocean peaking out between the gaps of skyscrapers.

I can never get away from it, huh? I sighed once more and turned to get up and answer the door as a chorus of knocks sounded. I opened it to see the entire group huddled in the narrow hallway. Obviously reading the confusion on my face, Gou laughed and tugged lightly on the sleeve of my shirt.

"We're going out for a bit to explore the town, come with us!"

I sent a reluctant look to Makoto, who was standing ever so closely behind Gou, but he only smiled and gestured towards the others with his chin.

Knowing I couldn't wriggle my way out of this one, I sullenly agreed and closed the door behind me. And just when I felt like taking a little nap, too...

"Great! Come on, Hana-chan!" Nagisa sang my name with obvious enthusiasm as he looped his arm with mine and pulled me up to the front of the group before leading everyone outside.

Feeling more than a little uncomfortable, I shuffled behind the blonde, occasionally throwing desperate glances at Makoto in an attempt that he'd take pity on my current situation. But no, my dear cousin was too busy talking up a storm with Gou. I frowned and let my eyes fall, knowing I'd never grab his attention while he's preoccupied with her.

We soon arrived at yet another ice-cream parlour, which these people seem to love. How on earth are they not gaining anything? I get that they work it off and all, but seriously? How can someone eat _three_ ice-creams in a week and keep such a perfect figure? I swear I'll be fat by the end of the month if this keeps up.

Declining as politely as possible when offered a sundae, I instead turned to watch a pair of butterflies dancing playfully in the air around a small garden of roses off to the side. As everyone settled down into their individual seats, I noticed one person in particular chose to sit further than the rest of the group.

He too, had no ice-cream in his hands. Instead, a bottle of store bought water sat on the round marble table. I watched as he knocked the bottle onto it's side and proceeded to roll it lazily back and forth for a good minute or two before pausing to stare at the intricate pattern of two dolphins swimming gracefully around each other.

Not realising I'd been staring, it came as quite a shock when two cobalt blue eyes were suddenly staring back. I jumped in surprise and quickly turned my head the other way, a sickening feeling forming in the pit of my stomach as I felt those same eyes continue to burn into the back of my skull.

* * *

Haru watched as Makoto's cousin snapped her head in the other direction so fast that all her hair swung around and fell over one shoulder, hiding her face.

He narrowed his gaze before turning back to his bottle, waiting impatiently for his friends to finish up so they could head back.

But no, instead of returning, the group decided they wanted to walk some more. Haru knew it was only for Hanako's sake that they were even out here, since they'd been here more than once and already knew the place rather well.

After a few torturous hours of sight-seeing, they finally stopped at the local park, much to Haru's relief. He wasn't a big fan of walking for miles, especially in this heat. At least it was starting to cool off now that the sun was setting into the late afternoon.

"Oh Hana-chan~! You have to see the food stands they have around here, they sell some of the best candies you'll ever find!"

"Nagisa, you should let her rest for a bit." Rei interrupted, pulling the brunette girl's arm out of Nagisa's grip.

"Hey Hanako, why don't I show you the old tree house that my brother and I used to play in when we came here?" Gou tugged the girl away from both the boys and started dragging her off in the other direction.

"B-but, I-" Hanako was cut off by Makoto as he tried to reason with the red head, agreeing with Rei that she should rest after walking so far.

The four began bickering and Haru watched with disinterest as Makoto's cousin quickly and quietly crept away from the commotion. Haru sidled up to a nearby tree and sat down by the large roots, using the thick, rough trunk as a support to lean against.

He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the birds chirping merrily to each other and the distant trickle of water running into the lake. Minutes passed as Haru sat there, just listening to the tune of nature and drowning out all the earlier commotion. That is, until he was rudely shaken out of his stupor.

Haru's eyelids fluttered open to see the blurry image of red and yellow locks hanging in his face. He blinked the dreariness away and sat up, rubbing out the stiffness in his neck. The objects in front of him gradually became clear and turned out to be people; Nagisa and Gou.

And they looked beyond worried. Which slightly concerned Haru, especially since Nagisa's expression was genuine.

"What is it?" He mumbled drowsily, trying hard to stifle a yawn. He hadn't realised just how tired he actually was.

"It's Hana-chan!" Nagisa cried. All worry Haru felt washed away at the mention of her name. He groaned and stood to his feet, shaking the leaves that had fallen from the overhanging branches out of his hair.

"Hopefully she took a bus home." He muttered to himself, not realising Makoto caught it.

Makoto frowned at his friend's attitude towards his cousin. He understood that the two held different views and didn't get along, but did he really detest her so much? "She's missing."

Haru turned his attention to the taller boy, suddenly a lot more serious when he caught the dark look Makoto was shooting his way.

The five set out along the path, shouting Hanako's name at the top of their lungs. Nagisa searched every nook and cranny while Gou and Rei turned down a different path to cover more ground, leaving Makoto and Haru alone.

Haru stayed silent while Makoto called out for his cousin, keeping his gaze fixed to the pavement. Makoto noticed his friend's silence and couldn't help but feel a little irritated that he wasn't helping.

"Haru," The two crawled to a stop at a fork in the path. Haru glanced in Makoto's general direction, avoiding eye contact. "What do you have against Hanako? Is there something else you don't like about her other then her hate for water?"

"Not really." Haru turned his head the other way, not wanting to have this conversation.

"Then give her a chance! It's no different to when Rei first joined us-"

"Yes it is." Haru whispered. Makoto paused, only just catching his friend's words.

"How...? How is it different, Haru?"

"It just is." Haru snapped, his tone harsher then what he meant it to be. How could Makoto not see just how different it _is_? He let Rei slide simply because he didn't know how to swim, he didn't hate water. But Hanako...she _detests_ the thing he cherishes the most! How could he feel anything _other_ than resentment towards her?

And as far as Haru knows, her hate has no justified reason!

Makoto felt the muscles in his brow twitch as he tried to keep a level head. He inhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut as he held his breath, before finally releasing it.

"I'm going this way." Said Haru before he turned down the path that led towards the park's lake.

"Wait, Haru...!" Makoto cut himself short with a sigh, his brows knitting together. He was torn between following the freestyle swimmer or taking the opposite path. He shifted his eyes towards the rapidly setting sun and decided that splitting up would give them a better chance at finding his cousin.

That is, if Haru even bothers to look. Makoto shot one last concerned glance towards the shrinking silhouette before jogging off in the other direction.

Haru glared at the cracks in the pavement as he aimlessly followed the path, frustration clouding his usually brilliant blue eyes. Why could Makoto not see that Haru wanted nothing to do with her?

With a sigh, Haru stopped and gazed up at the orange sky, the pink clouds hiding what's left of the sun. He squinted as rays of light poked through the gaps, lighting up his face.

Haru knew he shouldn't of been irritated with Makoto, he understands that his friend is really worried about Hanako. And rightly so, too, seeing as they're related. Haru lowered his gaze once more, regretting being so harsh before.

Even if he didn't like her, the least Haru could do was help Makoto after all he'd done for him. Moving into a steady jog, Haru followed the concrete path once more, keeping a look out for Hanako this time.

The path stretched over a hill before declining towards another fork, one leading further down towards the water's edge, which takes you across an old bridge that's been overdue in repairs, and the other levelling out atop the grassy bank.

Deciding to take the safer turn, Haru trailed the pavement atop the banks. Surely someone who dislikes water wouldn't take the other path, seeing as it's positioned high and stretches out over the lake towards a rounded deck.

Haru slowed to a walk when he caught a flash of light glinting off of something down the bank. Nearing the edge, he noticed that someone was sitting halfway down the hill, barely visible amongst the long grass. Held in one hand was a thin, silver bracelet with some sort of animal charm attached. It was the diamond eyes of the charm that had reflected the light.

As the sun gave way to the beginning of the night, Haru could clearly see the person below and knew almost instantly who it was by the colour of their hair.

Haru struggled to decide between racing back and telling Makoto that he'd found her, or collecting her himself. He didn't really want to do the latter, but what if she moved on by the time he got back with the others? Then they'd be out here even longer.

Ever so carefully, Haru stepped towards the edge a little more, holding back his reluctant sigh. Just as he was about to call out, he noticed something.

Now that Haru was closer, he could see her face a little clearer. Her cheeks were pale and damp, her eyes glistening with despair as the full moon peaked over the horizon and lit up the world with it's dim glow. Her gaze never strayed from the bracelet she held.

It was a new side of her Haru hadn't seen before. When she's with everyone, she's visibly brighter and her eyes hold a deep kindness akin to Makoto's. Although she hardly converses amongst the group, you're always aware of her presence.

But now, all alone, no one would even notice she's around. Her skin appeared pale, almost pasty, and the only emotion she showed was anguish. Was this even the same person Haru had been introduced to back at the pool?

As he stood there, watching the turmoil pass across her features, Haru couldn't find the words he'd worked himself up to say. They were lodged in his throat, refusing to surface.

Hanako shifted, bringing Haru out of his thoughts. She'd clenched the bracelet tightly before wrapping her arms around her knees, pulling them into herself as she braced against the wind. She gazed out at the water, her eyes reflecting the shimmering surface of the lake.

As she sat there, a whole new emotion overtook her. It wasn't hatred, like Haru had been expecting. It was...loneliness.

A startling crack echoed through the air, causing Haru to jump in surprise. He'd stepped forward without realising and placed his foot on a bunch of dried leaves.

A gasp sounded from below, and Haru glanced up to see Hanako jumping to her feet. A look of surprise and what seemed like embarrassment replaced the earlier expression as she wiped clumsily at her stained cheeks before turning and stumbling in the opposite direction.

Haru's eyes widened with alarm as she ran rapidly down the rest of the bank, tripping over her feet more than once.

"Hey, wait-...!" Haru leaped forward in pursuit. That idiot! Doesn't she realise she's heading straight for the bridge? Haru felt his ankles bend in an unnatural way as he rushed down the hillside, stumbling across the occasional holes hidden by the grass, but decided to ignore his aching feet. Why on earth had he chosen to wear flip flops?

Reaching the bottom, Haru had no time to rest. Hanako was now running with a slight limp across the bridge, probably not knowing that it lead to a dead end. He shot after her, being careful not to tread on any of the cracked or rotted planks of wood as he passed the "No Entry" sign.

"Stop!" Haru called out, his long legs allowing him to close a lot of the distance between them.

Hanako's figure ahead of him suddenly disappeared around the same time that Haru heard a loud crack. The girl's scream rang painfully in Haru's ears, so much so that he accidentally stood on a weak plank without realising and almost went down himself.

The railings of the bridge had fallen apart long ago, so when the board that Hanako was standing on had lifted up it knocked her over the side, leaving her dangling precariously above the thick, dark water below.

"Help!" She cried, the sound of an oncoming sob noticeable in her plea. Haru ran to the edge and fell to his knees to look over. There was Hanako, clinging with both hands to one of the support beams a meter or so below the bridge.

"Hold on," Haru shifted onto his stomach and stretched out his hand as far as he could, but there was still a good half a meter between him and the beam. "Grab my hand!"

Hanako reluctantly released the beam, stretching a shaky hand towards his own, but when the bridge creaked she went back to clinging for dear life. She whimpered pitifully and hugged the beam with all her might, her petite body shaking violently as fear struck her.

Haru furrowed his brows in frustration, tiny beads of sweat running down from his temple. All he wanted to do was yell at her to take his hand already, but he knew it would only make the situation worse.

"Let go...of the beam." Haru wriggled forward even further, almost his entire torso hanging over the edge now.

"I-I can't, I'm scared... I'm scared! Help, Nanase!" Hanako cried, her cheeks dampening.

"I'm trying!" Haru wheezed, all the air being squashed out of him as he stretched as far as he could. Just when Haru thought the situation couldn't get any worse, a sudden long, very audible groan echoed from beneath them, catching the two by surprise.

The bridge suddenly jerked underneath Haruka, slamming his stomach into the splintering planks. He choked out a cough at the impact and winced at the sharp pain in his lower abdomen.

Glancing down, he was surprised to see sheer terror reflected in the girl's eyes below him. All colour had drained from her face and her knuckles were bone-white from the death grip she held on the beam.

Though she was terrified, her mind seemed to be elsewhere, her gaze staring past Haru at something he couldn't see. Her eyes widened and salty tears filled them as the earlier look of anguish he'd seen her with before returned.

Hanako suddenly snapped out of her stupor when another loud creak rang through her ears. She looked to Haru and stretched her hand out in his direction, her fingers craning for his.

Haru ignored the pain in his stomach and reached towards the girl, his fingertips a hair wisp away from reaching her. "Nanase, please! I can't swim!"

Just as the two finally managed to link hands, the old rotting bridge gave a final creak before collapsing in on itself, dragging them down with it and into the cold depths of the lake below.

The last thing Haru heard was Hanako's scream before plunging into the icy water. Debris from the collapsed bridge plummeted into the water after them and Haru had to pull himself and Hanako to the bank before they both got squashed beneath it. He hooked one of his arms around the unconscious girl and pulled her tightly against him as he strained to bring the two of them back to the surface.

His legs ached and his lungs burned, but he continued to swim. Haru's head began spinning so wildly from lack of oxygen that he couldn't tell which way was up any more. Just as he thought he was going to lose consciousness, a sudden force jerked his body up and out of the water, dragging the limp girl behind him.


	6. Five - Resurfacing

The sound of ticking slowly became audible. It was faint and dull at first. But then it started to pick up in volume, increasing ever so slightly until finally the ticking sounded like it was coming from inside, resonating painfully in my skull.

A pained groan suddenly cut through the incessant noise, causing it to almost disappear completely. Something else was quick to fill it's place though, this time it was muffled voices.

Not much could be made out of what was being said. Everything sounded like it was concealed behind a wall of water.

I could barely make out a name being spoken. It sounded familiar, like it should mean something to me. Like I should be responding to it. But I couldn't because of the dry, burning sensation of my throat that I hadn't noticed until now.

With great effort, I struggled to crack my eyes open, almost immediately regretting the decision when a blinding light pierced my vision.

The voices became more frantic. Instead of attempting to see again, I instead opted for moving, but the best response I could get was a twitch of my fingers.

The burning in my throat grew as I tried to inhale, causing a violent fit of coughing. The feeling of something warm pressed against both my shoulders and my head spun as my back was lifted from whatever uncomfortable surface I'd just been lying on.

That same warm thing started drumming a firm pattern between my shoulder blades, doing nothing to help my fitful choking. As the coughing subsided, I made another try at opening my eyes, glad not to be met with another harsh intrusion of light.

My vision spun wildly and if it weren't for whatever force was holding me up I would've fallen straight back down.

The voices came again, this time a lot louder but still not any clearer. I squinted in an attempt to slow the world down before searching for whoever was talking. A blurry silhouette on the right side of me came into view.

Whoever it was was leaning over whatever I was sitting on, speaking in a rushed manner of nonsense as they tried to grab my attention.

Using what little strength I'd regained, I lifted my hands up to rub at my bleary eyes, but only one made it to their destination. The other was pulled back abruptly by something connected to it.

I made do with just one hand and wiped my face groggily, finding it easier to focus on my surroundings afterwards.

Everything slowly came into focus. I was in a room. It was stark white with machines I couldn't name and little décor. The walls were bare, save for the few guest chairs lined against it unceremoniously around the room.

It didn't take me long to realise I was in a hospital. The familiar skin-crawling smell of sickness that plagued all hospital's became evident when my sense of smell returned. No matter how many chemicals they used to cover it, it was always there. Lingering in the air over everyone unfortunate enough to be stuck in such an unwelcoming place.

My attention was pulled back to whoever was beside me, their figure now clearly visible. I breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar face, fighting back the tears threatening to make their appearance.

I licked my cracked lips and attempted to clear my throat, but it was too dry to even do that.

"Here, try this."

I gratefully took the plastic cup and downed the contents eagerly, sculling as much of it as I could before needing a breath of air. I lowered the cup from my lips and peered into it.

Water sloshed against the sides as I held it in my shaky hand. I gazed at it for a moment longer, watching the hypnotic movement.

Suddenly finding myself lost in thought, dark, blurry images crept into my head. Relpaying a terrifying experience that I couldn't quite grab a hold of.

The images became clearer and I was able to make out an old bridge, the planks rotted through and the railings that had once guarded the sides no longer standing. I watched as someone – a girl – ran out onto the bridge carelessly.

She seemed to be in a hurry, as if she were running from something. Just then, another person came into view, wasting no time in chasing after the girl. They both looked really familiar, but I couldn't place them.

All of a sudden the viewpoint changed. Everything was now moving around me, the eyes I was seeing through swung around to look back at the boy tailing her. I realised then that I was looking through the eyes of the girl.

I felt panic rise in my chest as a plank gave way and we tumbled through the gap, the sight of the boy cut off as we fell.

Time seemed to black out for a moment before coming to again. Now I was looking up at nailed wood stretching overhead. Someone – the boy again – was leaning over the edge and reaching down.

I instantly recognised him as Haruka Nanase. I was taken back by the look of genuine concern on his face. He was shouting, but I couldn't hear any of it over the crashing of waves beneath me.

My arm suddenly stretched up of it's own accord, making a grab for the hand dangling down. A loud crack sounded through the air. A moment of complete stillness followed, lasting only a fraction of a second before everything came crashing down.

The waves smacked painfully against my back as I fell, the impact knocking all the air from my lungs. The lake engulfed me in one foul swoop, soaking into my clothes and dragging me down.

But then I noticed something was still connected to me. I peeled my eyes open despite the pain of being under water and saw fingers intertwined with my own, refusing to let go.

I turned my head to see whoever had a hold of me. I caught a head of dark hair hovering in front of me before something sharp and heavy plummeted into the water, striking the side of my head and knocking me out.

The images disappeared just as quick as they'd come and I gasped at the shock of it, the plastic cup slipping from my grip and spilling what was left onto the sheet before clattering to the floor.

"Hanako, what's wrong?!"

I turned my gaze from my hands up to the worried relative hovering over me.

"M-Makoto," I gasped out between the pressure building in my chest. I felt the earlier tears I'd forced back pricking at the corners of my eyes again, but I wasn't about to stop them this time. "I... almost drowned."

Makoto stayed quiet as he stared down at me with the most sympathetic look I'd ever received from someone. But this time I didn't care. No, this time someone's sympathy was the last thing that was bothering me.

The fact that I'd almost drowned was weighing on my mind heavier than anything had for a long, long time. Warm arms pulled me into a comforting embrace and I happily accepted it, allowing the salty tears to flow freely for the first time in what felt like forever.

If I hadn't been clinging to my cousin during my mental breakdown, perhaps I would've noticed the pair of eyes watching silently from the doorway of the room.

The rest of the day past by in a blur. Makoto and his friends had spent most of their time in my small hospital room. To say it was crowded is an understatement. Nevertheless, having everyone around made what would've been a bland day turn out to be quite fun.

After bombarding me with a million questions on what happened, most to which I answered loosely – they wouldn't understand why I'd left in the first place so there was no need to go into detail – Nagisa decided to save me by bringing out a deck of cards and insisting we play Go Fish.

Everyone seemed to be genuinely concerned about my health and refused to leave me be when the nurse came in to say visiting hours were over. Although Haru hadn't hesitated to walk out, I was still grateful that he'd visited in the first place, even if he didn't say a thing the entire time.

The doctor told me that because I'd inhaled a large amount of water they wanted to keep me overnight just to make sure there wouldn't be any complications and that I'd be free to go in the morning.

Makoto was hesitant at first, much preferring to stay by my side, but after convincing him that I'd be just fine on my own, he gave in and agreed to go back with the others.

Miss Amakata assured me that she'd be by first thing in the morning to pick me up before instructing me to get a good night's sleep and taking her leave as well.

I exchanged hugs with a teary-eyed Gou and Nagisa, reassuringly squeezed my worried cousin's hand and gave the smallest of waves to Haru standing in the furthest corner of the room.

The blue-eyed swimmer hummed quietly in acknowledgement before following the teacher out. I watched him leave, the thought that maybe he got hurt during the fall only now crossing my mind.

I felt a pang of guilt at my selfishness in all of this and raised my hand to grab Makoto's attention, but he was already out and around the corner. I sighed and dropped it back onto the stiff white sheets.

I'll ask Haru myself tomorrow if he's okay. He looked fine, but it wouldn't hurt to make sure.

Nestling my head into the lumpy hospital pillow, I willed away the guilt swirling in my stomach and shut my eyes, wishing to hurry up and fall asleep.

**. . .**

Standing in the waiting room next to a nurse, I bit the bottom of my lip as I looked out the tinted window for the familiar van.

Sleep had evaded me last night. As the buzz of everyone laughing and joking wore off, that emptiness left room for guilt and old memories to re-surface.

Guilt, because I felt bad for making everyone worry about me unnecessarily when they could've been spending their night a better way.

And old memories of that day so many years ago. No matter how many times I'd try to push them down and into the little black box in the back of my mind, they always found a way to creep back out.

So here I stood, with dark circles under my eyes and pasty skin from lack of sleep, waiting for Miss Amakata to pick me up.

The doctors were reluctant to let me leave so soon, especially after seeing my appearance this morning. But I'd convinced them – with great effort – that everything was fine and it was only because of a restless night's sleep.

"Hanko!" I cringed at the use of my real name, but was happy to see Miss Amakata none-the-less.

She scooped me up into an awkward hug, much to my displeasure, before turning to the nurse beside me and thanking her for all her hard work.

We climbed into the vehicle and left the hospital, turning into the morning traffic. Apart from a lecture on putting myself in danger and being her responsibility, most of the road trip was quiet, save for the crackly stereo playing some sort of old boy band music in the background.

I watched the buildings pass by in a blur, my thoughts drifting in and out of focus and generally just all over the place. I couldn't shake the fact that I'd almost died... no matter how many times I tried to distract myself with more important things like school and grades, one subject kept pushing it's way in.

Those thoughts quickly lead to old memories, ones I'd rather leave left alone in the little black box. But the lock was wearing down beneath the nagging of the recent situation I'd just faced. I felt my walls crumbling piece by piece as the rush of painful memories slowly leaked from the place I'd held them in for so long.

The world outside the passenger window suddenly began to shake, pulling me from the spiralling thoughts and back to reality. I glanced around wondering if maybe an earthquake had hit, but the tremors weren't coming from outside.

It was me.

I hadn't noticed how physically shaken I'd become while being lost inside my head. The teacher was glancing over at me with great concern, her mouth moving frantically.

It was only after noticing that Miss Amakata was trying to grab my attention did I start to hear her worried voice calling to me.

"Han..."

I shook my head to try and clear away the fog looming over me. She became easier to understand once it finally lifted.

"Hanko, are you alright? You need to answer me."

"Um... yeah," I let out a shaky breath as I tried to calm myself down. Breathe, Hanako, breathe. "I'm just a little cold."

Miss Amakata snuck glances my way as she drove, clearly sceptical. "Are you sure? I can turn around and take you back if you think you're not doing well."

"No!" My sudden outburst surprised the teacher as much as it had myself. I cleared my throat and tried again. "No, really I'm fine. I just... need to warm up when we get back."

"Well, if you're sure..."

"I am. Please don't worry about me."

Even though I told her not to worry anymore she continued to frown at the road in front of her, the concern as bright as daylight on her face.

For the rest of the ride I kept my hands wedged between my legs and my eyes trained straight ahead of me, wishing that Miss Amakata would pay more attention to the road rather than eye-balling me.

It was one long, awkwardly silent trip back to the hotel.

**. . .**

Climbing out of that van was probably the highlight of my day. I was caught off-guard to see the swim team waiting at the curb for our arrival. It was the last thing I'd expected, weren't they all supposed to be practising at the Samezuka Academy?

Makoto had been the first to run over, followed quickly by Rei and Nagisa. Strong arms enveloped me in a circle of warmth, pulling me towards the person I wanted to see the most right now. I returned the hug, happy to be out of the Hospital and back by Makoto's side.

"Welcome back, Hana-chan~!" I peered around my cousin to see the lit up expression of the carefree boy. He was jumping on the spot like a kangaroo and waving his arms erratically, his grin widening even more when he caught my gaze.

I returned a smile of my own to him before stepping back from Makoto's embrace. He seemed almost reluctant to let go, but it turns out he didn't really have a choice once Nagisa decided to bounce his way over and strangle me with a hug of his own.

A surprised laugh escaped me as the blonde hopped on the spot, unable to keep still for god knows whatever reason. I untangled myself from his constricting hold and backed up a few steps, only to be met with, yet again, another chest in my face.

I glanced up to see a very on-edge Rei in front of me. His right arm was trembling all the way to his shoulder. What was he so nervous about? Looking down, I realised he had his hand outstretched, the same one connected to his shaking arm.

Am I missing something...?

"It-... It's good to see you're doing better, T-Tachibana-san!" I raised my eyebrows in shock at the high octaves Rei was able to reach, whoever thought a guy could go so high? I would've laughed at how comical it was if I didn't feel as nervous as the boy in front of me looked.

My gaze fell back to the trembling limb held out between us. Does he want to shake hands..? I guess there's no other reason for it being there. Although I thought the gesture a little out of place in a situation like this, I slipped my hand into his – albeit hesitantly.

I immediately noticed how unpleasantly warm and sweaty his palm was. As much as I wanted to, I fought the urge to pull my hand away and wipe it off. It's surprising to know though that beneath the layer of sweat the texture of his hand was actually quite rough, not what I expected from a swimmer.

I waited patiently for the handshake, but it never came. Rei just continued to stand there as stiff as a rod, his arm shaking uncontrollably and his grip almost non-existent.

Deciding that it would be better if I just pulled my hand away, Nagisa obviously had other ideas.

"Don't be so shy, Rei-chan. Show Hana-chan how much you were worried!" I felt an abrupt push between my shoulder blades, sending me sprawling forward in an inelegant fashion.

I yelped at the sudden contact of my forehead hitting a very toned chest. I regained my balance with the help of Rei – after he snapped out of his little stupor – and took a very large, very obvious step away from the flabbergasted swimmer.

He was bumbling for words and clearly in a state of shock, his face painted a colour that rivalled the red frame of his glasses. I'm sure mine was just as bad, if not worse.

"O-of course I've been worried, we all were! And where do you get off pushing a girl!" The blonde snickered at the poor boys flustered state, leaping away from death's grip every time Rei went to swipe at him. "Get back here, Nagisa..!"

I made my way back over to Makoto. He was shaking his head at the sight of his friends running like mad chooks around the car park.

"How are you feeling?" I jumped when he suddenly started talking, having been caught up in the grand chase happening before us.

I cast my eyes downwards, watching the stray pebble roll away after kicking it with the toe of my shoe. "I'm fine... you don't need to concern yourself over me."

"Of course I do," Said Makoto in an almost exasperated tone. This isn't the first time we've had this conversation, so I'm well aware of what's to follow. "You're my little cousin, worrying about you is my-"

"Your responsibility, I've heard it a thousand times before," I turned to face Makoto this time, letting him know that he wasn't about to win the argument, not this time. "I know you think you're responsible for me, but I can take care of myself I'm not a little kid anymore.

"You have more important things to be focusing on, like your practise sessions. Isn't that the whole reason you guys came out here?" Makoto was about to argue back but I shot him the most pleading look I could muster.

He reluctantly dropped whatever he was about to say, heaving a heavy sigh and rubbing the back of his neck in a defeated manner.

"I don't want to fight you over this, Hanako."

"...I don't either. Just promise me you'll focus on your sessions."

Makoto placed his large hands over my petite shoulders, almost engulfing them completely. "Only if you promise to stay at the hotel and recover."

I was about to protest and say that I had already, but when I caught the serious look in his eyes I knew he wasn't referring to me physically.

"Okay... I will." My chest warmed at the familiar smile I was so used to seeing.

"Good, we'll be off then. We have to be at Samezuka Academy in half an hour and we're already running late..."

I took a step back, gesturing towards the waiting van. "Then don't let me stop you."

We exchanged another hug and goodbye's before separating. I made my way towards the hotel while Makoto rounded up the other two and ushered them into the vehicle. I glanced around the car park, wondering where Haru might possibly be.

Miss Amakata started the engine and the van pulled out onto the road, beeping the horn in farewell before driving out of sight.

Perhaps Haru's already at Samezuka? Assuming that was the case, I stepped inside and made my way up to the floor we're all staying on.

Now that I was all alone again it was easy for the earlier thoughts to weed their way back to the front of my mind. Feeling a sudden wave of lethargy hit me all at once I struggled to lift my foot for the next step.

The world suddenly spun around me, warping my sense of judgement. I went to climb another step, but the toe of my shoe clipped the ridge and threw me off balance.

I came tumbling down, my ribcage bashing painfully against the jutted staircase and my hands receiving scrapes to the palms as I tried to catch myself.

Bile rose in the back of my throat, my head spinning and my stomach lurching as the world continued to turn dizzily around me.

What's happening? How did I get on the floor..? Why can't I... My thoughts were beginning to fray, my mind too fuzzy to think.

I made a go at trying to hold my head in hopes that it might help it clear up, but it was hard to control them. They felt like lead, and even when I did manage to lift them somewhat I couldn't figure out where exactly my head was.

It was almost like I was disconnected from my own body. The pain had subsided to nothing but a mildly irritating throb and I couldn't feel the steps beneath me.

Was I even still on the steps? I wasn't sure, I can't make anything out around me.

Laying here and getting my strength back is the best option. I'm not able to do anything in this state and might only end hurting myself even further if I try to get up.

Keeping my eyes tightly closed, I try my best to focus on taking deep, steady breaths. But the more I do, the harder it becomes.

I'm breathing in short pants now, barely getting enough oxygen into my lungs. It's doing nothing for the already faint feeling I have.

Maybe...maybe sleeping will help. Yeah...just a little rest, I'll be able to think better.

I drew in another breath despite the discomfort it caused and slowly felt my conscious slip away as I exhaled.

**. . .**

The feeling of the crisp, salty sea breeze was a welcoming sensation as the swimmer surfaced above the lapping waves.

Cool, ocean water danced and kissed around the well-toned torso protruding from it, splashing playfully up at him, begging that he stay just a few more minutes and continue swim within it.

But the swimmer knew better than to keep the others waiting for longer than he already had. As much as he wanted to stay in the embrace of the ocean Haru had other plans today; plans he couldn't skip out on.

Making his way back to the shore, Haru retrieved his belongings and began the walk back to the hotel.

He'd originally gone for an early morning run since he'd woken from a restless slumber, but in the end the call of water was just too strong. Haru decided that from now on he'd start running through town instead of on the shoreline to avoid temptation.

Gou wasn't going to be pleased with his tardiness.

Haru threw the towel over his head, hanging his clothes over one shoulder while half-heartedly drying himself off. He saw no point in trying since he's going to get wet again at the pool.

But if he climbed into the teachers car soaked from head to toe the swimmer knew he'd be in for an earful of lecturing.

As the hotel came into view Haru saw no sign of the van. Which means they've already left. Guess that meant more running for Haru.

He climbed the stairs while fumbling through the pockets of his clothes to find his room key. Haru was so focused on trying to locate the little thing that he almost didn't notice the large lump blocking off the second flight.

Haru had to catch himself on the handle before he fell on whatever almost took him down. Upon closer inspection he realised that the 'thing' was actually a person, and that person just happened to be someone he would've least expected to see in such a situation.

Not quite sure what to do, he nudged her leg ever so lightly, ready to jump back at a moments notice if the girl suddenly flew at him in a frenzy.

She didn't respond. Haru stood there for a moment while he tried to figure out what to do. Is she even still alive? He summarised that that would be the first thing to check.

Crouching down, he slowly shuffled his way up to her, tip-toeing over her arms and legs, hoping he didn't stand on any of her fingers.

Haru swallowed past the uncomfortable lump in his throat and carefully leaned towards the unconscious girl, keeping his eyes trained on her face to keep a look out for any indication that she might wake up.

With what little space he had, Haru managed to lean over and press his ear to her chest. He couldn't pick up anything though. Was it because of all the extra..._stuff_ she had that he couldn't hear it?

The swimmer took up the position again, pressing his ear a little harder against the area where a heart's supposed to be. It was moments like these that Haru was beyond relieved about the fact that the others weren't around.

He could only imagine how they'd take it. Just as he was about to pull back the slightest thump caught his attention.

Not sure if he'd really heard it or not Haru pushed even further, hoping that it wasn't just in his head. But there it was, though it was faint, he could still hear it.

A pained groan sounded from the body, snapping Haru back to the situation. He flung himself back against the wall in surprise. His breath caught in his throat as the girl let out another muffled groan, but this one was followed by small, rushed breaths.

Her breathing was quick but her chest was barely rising. Had she just fallen asleep here? No, she seems to be in pain. Maybe she fell?

Well whatever happened, Haru knew that if he didn't do something fast the girl that just got out of hospital might end being rushed straight back to it.

Standing up again, Haru eased his way around her and dropped his clothes off at the next level before going back down.

Now the next thing he had to figure out was how to get at her from an angle in which he could pick her up. That was going to be the hard part...

He jumped back down to the lower steps. It seemed like a better place to work from. Haru reached out to take the girls arm and began to pull her up.

He almost had her in an upright position and was about to loop his arm beneath her knees when the unconscious figure let out a rather shocking yelp.

Surprised out of his wits Haru quickly released her without thinking and she fell forward like a rag doll, the bang of her head meeting the wall resounded painfully in Haru's ears.

He cringed at the position she was in, it looked far from comfortable... Her cheek was smushed and pulled up at an odd angle when she slid down, making it almost look like a drunken smile.

Haru cleared his throat and turned his eyes away, unable to stare at the ridiculous expression for too long. He repeated the same steps as before, but with much more care.

He hoped there were no broken bones, if there were some then moving her is the last thing he should be doing. But it's not like he can just leave her on the stairs, she'd be in the way of everyone.

Finally getting a solid hold of the limp figure, Haru hiked her up against his chest to better carry her while going up the stairs. He shuffled towards the girls room, but when he got there he noticed one little problem.

He didn't have the key. Haru slowly glanced down at the sleeping girl in his arms, her head was lolled back and her arms swung freely by her sides. Where on earth would she keep a key on her?

Why does she have so many pockets?! Haru shuffled the body over onto one arm as much as he could so he was free to search.

Now...where to start? This has to be illegal in some part of the world. Haru bitterly dug through the pockets of her jacket first, hoping that it might be over and done with quickly.

No such luck...

Next he went on to the breast pocket. His index finger slowly and carefully inched it's way between the thin fabric, feeling around in the most discreet way possible for what he needed.

Haru kept his head turned anywhere but at what he was currently doing. If Makoto could see him now, the swimmer was sure his best friend would turn him into minced meat on the spot.

His finger met the end of the pocket. Not here. He retracted it at the speed of light and looked around for anywhere else that pockets might be placed.

The only ones left were on her pants. If it's not there then all this torture would've been for nothing. All Haru could do was pray that she didn't wake up.

Going with the left pocket first, Haru continued his search. When he didn't find anything the right pocket was next. Once again, he turned up blank. The only one left was...

No. There was no way in hell Haru was going to dig through the back pocket of a girl's pants. Not happening. He'd already invaded her shirt, what else was this cruel world going to throw at him?

Was all this trouble even worth it? He could very easily just drop her off at the door and let someone else take over. He'd only be fifteen minutes late to the session, which still leaves him with a little over an hour of swim time.

Haru looked once more at the girl. A long, silent sigh escaped him. No, he can't just leave her on the floor.

Even if he detests her, Haru's not that type of person. But what else could he do? She has no key, and he's _not_ searching the last pocket.

The swimmer looked over his shoulder, the idea suddenly hitting him. Without wasting a minute he turned and went in the other direction, heading towards a familiar door that he knew he could get through.

Now the only problem was getting his key for it. Haru rolled his head forward in defeat. Great.

After much struggling and several instances where he almost dropped the sack of weight, Haru finally managed to open the door and squeeze his way through.

He dropped the girl unceremoniously onto his bed, glad to be rid of the burden. He rolled his shoulders back and stretched his numb arms out.

Good, now he can go. Just as Haru turned to leave the laboured breathing worsened.

Reluctantly, Haru spun back around and stared with irritation at the gasping figure before him. Her face was flushed red and her clothes were soaked with sweat. Her hair was a mess and sticking to her face.

She looked bad, and it seemed she was only getting worse.

Haru can't leave, not with her like this. Completely giving up on the idea of ever making it to the pool, he sulks over to the bathroom and prepares a wash cloth.

He comes back out and places it gently on her forehead. Haru finds his displeasure towards this girl building the more he looks at her.

Not only does she hate water, the thing which he loves most, but now she's also _keeping_ him from it!

He swears on his life this girl is some kind of curse that's been placed on him. Though, he can't entirely blame her for not being able to get to the session. It's not like she willed this to happen.

...At least Haru hopes not.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**I'm sorry this took so long to get up. I don't want to throw excuses around but, life's been pretty... hectic, to say the least.**

**And lately I'm just not happy with my style of writing, so I've been trying to work on improving it.**

**Another thing I want to address is that I started this story before the second season was out, so my original idea has changed quite a bit from what it first was after having watched Free! Eternal Summer. (Which was pretty awesome, by the way. I'm excited for the movie to come out.)**

**I'll probably incorporate a lot of what happened in Free! ES into the story from here on, but it'll have little differences since obviously Hanako's apart of this story.**

**I can't guarantee that I'll be updating frequently after this, but I can assure you that I'll keep posting for as long as people keep reading. (Which I'd be surprised if anyone still is at this point. If any of you are though, you're amazing and extremely patient. Kudos to you.)**

**Also, I'm changing the breaks between sections of the story to ". . ." because the line break function isn't available on the toolbar anymore and the only other way I know of putting it in is too much of a hassle. Just thought I'd let you know.**


	7. Six - Little Boy, Why?

Warmth. I feel...warmth.

Where is it coming from?

I sub-consciously moved towards the source of the heat. It's almost like there's a gravitational pull, I couldn't resist it dragging me along.

I didn't want to resist. It was so warm...so comforting...

A flurry of whispers suddenly surrounded me; some understandable, some completely foreign.

There was one sweet voice in particular that caught my attention. I strained myself to listen closely, hoping I could decipher what it was trying to tell me.

_...You..._

The whispering was faint, hidden behind a wall I couldn't pass. What is it saying?

_...Let go..._

_...You...let go..._

Me? Let go? I didn't understand...how do I get to you? Show me the way...

The blanket of darkness suddenly lifted, exposing me to a blinding light. I was in a...room? White surrounded me from all angles.

There were no walls, floors or ceiling. It was just...white, and empty. I glanced beneath my feet, wondering what was holding me up. I knew I should have been scared seeing the large, gaping hole below me.

But strangely enough I was calm, at peace even. I felt like nothing could harm me, like nothing bad would happen in this open space.

When I returned my gaze upwards I was surprised to find a tall, rectangle box encircling me. It stretched as high as the eye could see and the sides were made of thick, clear glass.

I reached out to inspect the object holding me hostage, my fingers sliding easily down the smooth, cool surface.

Then the sweet, young voice returned. It was louder, but still muffled. Trapped behind the wall.

_...Your fault..._

My fault..? What's my fault? Did I do something wrong? I glanced around but there's no one here except me.

_...I..._

_...Blame you..._

You blame me? For what..? I don't- I didn't do anything!

What's going on? I don't understand...what is this voice? Where is it coming from?

...Why does it sound so familiar?

My eyes caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure off to my right. I spun around and pressed my hands against the wall, enjoying the cool, calming effect the feeling of the glass gave me.

The figure glided forward, thick gloops of..._liquid?_ drooping from the edges of the figure and falling off into the bottomless pit below us.

I couldn't make out a face, but I could tell it was the silhouette of a child. A boy, perhaps?

I knelt down so I was face-to-face with whoever was on the other side of my box.

"...Hey, are you the voice? What are you talking about?"

The little boy stood silently, his head down and his arms dangling by his sides. He lingered there completely motionless, the black, oozing droplets continuing to roll down his body.

"Hello..? Little boy?"

The child before me moved for the first time in minutes, one of his limp arms rising up, his little fingers stretching out as his palm was laid flush against the glass.

I automatically moved to place my hand near his, completely dwarfing his own with my much larger adult sized hand.

A wave of emotions suddenly hit me all at once, the calm, peaceful feeling evaporating and quickly being replaced by ones I'd rather not have.

My skin crawled as uneasiness settled in my stomach. My legs began to shake and my heart was pounding fiercely within my chest, the blood rushing to my ears.

A felt dizzy and nauseous as I was hit with a flurry of moving pictures, all playing inside my head.

Water. It's dark.

There's noise. It's loud.

A flash of light. A deafening crackle of sound.

The world's dark again...

I can feel a wet substance coating my face...my body...

My head is under something. I can't breathe. My lungs, they're burning. My eyes, they sting.

The sound's disappeared. It's quiet, and I'm all alone.

I reach out, but there's nothing in front of me. Just a large, vast blanket of darkness covering me again.

A cold, salty stream suddenly runs into my mouth, gushing down my throat and clogging my windpipe.

I'm choking, gasping for air. But there isn't any.

I'm drowning...

Someone, please...save me...save...

Wait. I can see something. There's something else down here with me. A person. They came to save me. I'm saved!

They're coming closer. Closer...

It's a boy. A little boy is here, he's with me. I'm not alone anymore.

He's floating over. I reach out to him, ignoring the burning pain inside me.

I call out to the boy, but he doesn't respond. Why isn't he responding? Can't he hear me? Can't he see me?

He's not moving. The current is the only thing pulling him towards me. Is he okay?

Are you alright...little boy?

I entwine my fingers with his, dragging him to me. I've got you! We're safe now.

But no, you're still not responding.

His eyes are closed, his mouth relaxed and lightly agape. His mousy brown hair is waving gracefully around his pale face.

Is he sleeping? Why are you asleep?

I grip the boys shoulders and shake him as best I can in the space we're floating. His eyes finally snap open.

You're awake!

But...something is wrong. His forest green eyes are dull and lifeless, holding no shine within them.

...Why? Why won't you wake up?

I place my hand against his chest, my movements sluggish in this thick veil we're encased in.

No heartbeat. I can't find it...

Perhaps it moved to the other side? No...it's not there either. Where is it? Where did it go?

Why are you...

Please, wake up...

Wake up, little boy...I need you. So please, come back to me...

...Wake up...

"Wake-...Han-..."

What's this? Another voice? Who's there..?

"...Up. Wake up..."

Where are you? I can't see you...

"Han...Hanako...Wake up!"

I felt myself suddenly being thrown back, the body I'd been clinging to torn from my grip as I pulled back into the land of the living.

A gasp rose from my chest as the world spun wildly around me. I tightened my grip on whatever my hand was holding, squeezing my eyes shut and biting my lip to try and hold back the bile looking to make it's way out.

"Hanako?! You're finally awake!"

I placed a hand to my forehead, the intense heat pouring from it burning my cold, clammy fingers. Where am I..? Am I still at the hospital?

"W-who..." I cleared my throat before trying to speak again. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Makoto. Are you okay? Don't push yourself, you have a fever!" My head hit the pillow once more as my cousin pushed me back down, restricting me of anymore attempts to get up.

"Wh-...What time is it? Is this...still the hospital?"

"No, you're back at the hotel." Makoto's voice was a welcome reassurance. I sighed with relief, glad to be rid of that horrible place.

"But...how am I in my bed? I don't remember making it to the room..."

"Actually, you've been sleeping in the boy's room. Haru let you borrow his bed."

"What?!" I sprung up at those words, instantly regretting it when my vision began to spin again. I clutched my head with the one hand available and tried to climb onto the floor, but Makoto was having none of it.

"Hanako, calm down!"

"Please, I-I need to go rest in my own room, in my own b-bed. I-... I shouldn't be in here!" I can't believe I've been napping in the boy's room. In _Haru's_ bed no less! Oh he's going to kill me. What would he _think_ of the person he hates the most sleeping in _his_ bed?!

I can just imagine his response, and the way he'll treat me now. I thought his _death stares_ were unbearable, now he's probably going to hiss with rage as well at me whenever I'm near too!

Just when I thought I was starting to get used to Haruka's clear distaste of me, I've gone and made it ten times worse. This is just great...

"Stop, Hanako, it's alright! Haru was the one that brought you here after all."

"...What?" I can't believe what I'm hearing. Haru? _He's_ the one who...wow. And here I thought the blue-eyed swimmer avoided me like the plague because he was afraid he'd dry up like a prune just by being near me.

"So...Nanase _helped_ me?" I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. I mean, he did try to help back on that old bridge as well. If it hadn't been for him, I would've... I shivered at just the thought. Push it away, Hanako.

Push it away to that little black box and forget all about it. Yeah...there's no reason to bring up bad memories.

Makoto gave gentle nod, a relieved smile appearing once he was sure I'd settled down.

"I...where is he? I have to thank him for-" I cut off mid-sentence when I suddenly felt my head spiral out of control. I fell back onto the bed, the springs squeaking from the impact.

"Hanako...! What's wrong?" Makoto was quick to jump up from the edge of the bed and lean over me, pressing the back of his hand to my forehead while the other held my cheek. The warmth that'd enveloped my hand suddenly disappeared.

I must've been holding Makoto's hand in my sleep. Was that where the warmth in my dream was also coming from..?

"Your fever's rising again." Makoto's lips pulled into a concerned frown, his eyebrows knitting together. It's a facial thing he's always done even as a kid whenever he got really worried about something. I always found it useful to tell how my cousin was really feeling in situations.

Makoto's a natural liar, at least when it comes to how he's feeling; so it's nice to know that I can at least tell when something's obviously bothering him.

"I'll go wet the cloth again since it's dried out."

"Wait!" I grabbed Makoto's sleeve before he could escape me like back at the hospital. "Where's Nanase? I...want to talk to him."

Makoto smiled at her after a brief pause. "He's asleep at the moment," I followed my cousin's finger as he pointed to the single bed beside the one I was on. I clapped a hand over my mouth, just now realising how loud I'd been since waking up. "Don't worry. Haru's usually a light sleeper, but I don't think he's been sleeping too well the last few days."

I glanced at Makoto, seeing the worry hidden behind his smiling face. He caught my stare and beamed back at me, pushing up his false pretense. "I'm sure he's fine though. It's probably just the training sessions that are exhausting him."

I gave a small nod. I knew that wasn't the reason why, and deep down Makoto did too. But I also knew he wasn't going to say anything about it, or question the swimmer either.

Now that I knew Haruka was actually in the same room, I found it incredibly hard to focus on anything but him. Makoto had gone into the bathroom joined to this room, so I was left all alone in the company of a sleeping teen.

I carefully rolled onto my side, letting out a sharp hiss as pain spread across my rib cage. Taking my mind off the ache, I stared at the hoodie clad back in front of me. His side was rising slowly and evenly, indicating Haru was in a deep sleep.

Has he really not been getting enough sleep ever since the accident? I felt like I could relate a little, as I also haven't been sleeping too well. It might just be because I'm still a little shaken up over it, but why is Haru also suffering?

Is there a reason that he hasn't told anyone about?

Makoto returned with the cloth, placing it on my forehead once more. The cool temperature was an uncomfortable surprise at first, but as the seconds ticked by the feeling became more and more pleasant.

The growing headache was being pushed back already as my temperature slowly dropped down to normal.

My cousin explained that I needed to rest more – much to my reluctance – and promised to be back in time to wake me for dinner. I agreed after much convincing on Makoto's part and got comfy once again.

I watched Makoto close the door behind him, uttering a quick "have a good sleep" before it clicked shut.

Once again, I was alone in a room with none other than the sleeping Haruka. I stared at him for a moment or two, wondering when – if – I'd ever get the chance to ask if he's okay from the accident.

I guess it was kind of obvious that he is though. I mean, he wasn't kept back at the hospital and all the swimmers had a session to go to today.

He seems perfectly fine. I'm flooded by relief at that thought. I'd been so worried and guilt ridden last night for not even once thinking to ask Haru if he'd made it out okay without any scrapes or bruises; or worse...

But it seems my concern wasn't needed. I rolled over, extremely slowly this time, to my other side so I was facing the wall. I took a deep breath, the smell of feint chlorine and something else I couldn't quiet place invading my nostrils.

I buried my face into the pillow, finding the smell rather enticing. Even though I'd just woken up I was already feeling drained just from that little conversation with Makoto.

My eyelids were beginning to droop and I could feel my heartbeat slowing down to a more evened out pace.

The sound of rustling sheets behind me was barely a distraction for even a second before my mind went back to being hazy. Probably just Haru rolling over in his sleep...

I let out a long yawn before finally falling into the clutches of sleep, embracing the warm, comforting sheets around me before slowly drifting off.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

**So this one's a little shorter than the last, mostly because I felt the next scenes after this didn't really fit into the...atmosphere? of this chapter I guess.**

**But I hope it's still worth the read regardless of it's small size. Lot's of sleeping in this chapter and not too much going on, but I can say that the next one will be more lively and introducing another Free! Character (finally) into the mix.**

**I'm excited to start it honestly because a lot of...stuff and back story is going to be revealed in the next chapter, which will then lead to (again, finally) some more story progression! Yay, we all want that, don't we?**


	8. Seven - History On Repeat

I watched with mild interest as the home doctor conversed with Miss Amakata in the doorway of the boy's hotel room. Yes, I was still bedridden in the room that was not my own. Hopefully with any luck, the doctor will give me the okay to get out of here.

Makoto and the rest have been pretty persistent in keeping me in Haru's bed for fear that I might have broken something in my fall on the staircase.

But apart from the dull ache in my ribcage and my ankle I didn't think my injuries were serious enough for everyone to be concerning themselves over.

I sighed and rolled onto my back, ignoring the discomfort it caused me. My gaze flicked up to the white ceiling above. I hope they'll let me out today, I'm fed up with being stuck in this bed.

Don't get me wrong, it was actually pretty comfy here; more so than my own bed strangely enough.

And it didn't smell half bad either. Usually the scent of chlorine would make my stomach recoil in disgust, but mixed with the faintness of a lingering cologne and another scent I could only familiarise with the smell of on-coming rain, it was surprisingly comforting.

I almost wanted to bundle these sheets up and take them to my own bed. But alas, I think Haruka might have something to say about that...

It's been three days since the staircase incident and the aromatic scent of the sheets has dwindled down considerably, but it was still present enough for even my sense of smell to pick up.

The sound of flicking paper caught my attention and I turned my attention back to the doorway, green eyes widening in surprise to see the doctor standing a few feet away from the bed.

When did he get there and how on earth hadn't I noticed?!

I quickly sat up, digging my elbows into the plush mattress to propel myself forward. I glanced up at the man expectantly, waiting with bated breath for him to finish scribbling whatever he was putting down on the paper.

Hopefully all good things...

The man forcefully dotted the end of his sentence and clicked the pen before placing it in his breast pocket. Our eyes met and I swallowed nervously. His eyes were as dark as the richest soil on earth, his grey-flecked hair combed back and out of his face.

I stared diligently at the rims of his half-moon glasses, unable to look him in the eye anymore. I could already guess what he was going to say.

I'm going to be confined to this bed for the rest of the stay in this hotel. I'll never be able to wander outside, or join the others for a late afternoon stroll after practice is over.

...I wonder if I'll be allowed to walk to the toilet on my own? Or will people still be subjected to helping me everywhere I need to go?

I hope not...everyone may be insisting that they don't mind helping me now, but by the end of the week I know they'll start to resent me for it.

And what about Haruka? I'm sure he's seething about the fact that he's permanently lost his bed for the duration of this trip. For the last few nights I've seen him sharing Makoto's bed, but I'm sure it's extremely cramped and uncomfortable for two grown men to share a single bed...

Of course, Haru could always take Nagisa's bed since the blonde's tried on more than one occasion to sneak into my (Haru's) bed, claiming he couldn't sleep and wanted something to cuddle.

Makoto was never too happy about it...neither was Rei; and speaking of the butterfly swimmer, I could tell that he's not happy about the sleeping arrangements.

Every time I speak a word to the guy – which is not often – he practically jumps out of his skin and turn as red as a cherry. I can't blame him though. I'm not exactly pleased about sharing a room with _four_ boys either.

Although one of them is my cousin, it's still a little unnerving. If Makoto wasn't with me I probably would've dragged myself down that hallway and away from this room with or without the teacher's consent.

My train of thought had gone off course, but it was quickly dragged back on track when the doctor suddenly began speaking.

"I-I'm sorry, what was that?"

The doctor sighed at my clueless look and repeated his conclusion.

"I _said_, Miss Tachibana, that you're free to move now," My jaw went slack at his words. That's not the answer I'd been expecting, but I was more than happy to accept it.

"With some conditions, of course." I was quickly cut off from any celebrating at the man's next words. My arms went limp and my shoulders sagged. Here we go, a set of rules to follow...

The doctor smiled at my deflation and tucked his clipboard under his arm, his earlier stony-faced demeanour quickly vanishing.

"There are no broken bones, but you have suffered a fair amount of bruising to your ribcage as well as a sprained ankle," I'd figured as much, I've always had weak ankles so it came as no surprise to me. "You're free to move around now, but try to limit any physical activities like running and jumping."

I gave a him a simple nod.

"That includes swimming." I felt my stomach knot up just at the mention of the sport.

I cast my gaze downwards, a small, somewhat bitter laugh escaping. "Don't worry, I could never swim."

The doctor eyed me curiously, though I didn't notice as my eyes were concentrated on the varnished floor beneath my bare feet.

I felt the bed sink to my right, throwing my balance off a little. I repositioned myself so I wouldn't fall over onto the man's lap. That's an embarrassing moment that I want to avoid at all costs...

"How is it that someone who doesn't swim is on a _swimming_ practice trip?"

...Just how much did Miss Amakata spill to this person?

I gave a nervous chuckle and shrugged my shoulders. "I sort of...just happened to be dragged along, really."

"Mhm," The doctor hummed under his breath, scepticism clear in his voice. "And if you don't mind my asking, why is it that you don't swim?"

I blanched. I did mind actually, and I was really hoping he wouldn't ask,...but I guess it's inevitable when dealing with a person who's job is to ask questions.

Wringing my hands, I looked anywhere around the room but directly at him. This conversation was starting to become increasingly uncomfortable by the minute.

"I...I don't...like water. It-..." It what? It _scares_ me? It _annoys_ me? What was I possibly going to say that could correctly sum up my distaste of the one thing everyone in this town seemed to love?

I decided to keep quiet, my obvious silence not going unnoticed by the person beside me.

A moment passed before something was finally said, breaking the heavy atmosphere. "I'm no psychologist, but I can tell when something is affecting one of my patients," I watched as the man stood and moved to stand in front of me, the mattress springing back into it's regular shape once the weight was gone. "I told Miss Amakata that exhaustion was the cause of your sudden passing out, which is true.

But there's also something else, an underlying problem that's acting as a trigger. And I have a feeling you know what it is."

I gave the man a small, hesitant nod, only now just noticing my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I stuffed them in my lap and squeezed them tightly between my thighs in an attempt to hide it, but I'm sure it didn't go unseen.

The taste of copper flooded my mouth and I reluctantly swallowed the thick, hot liquid. I instinctively brought a hand up to my face, wondering what is was. I looked down at the splotches of dark red dusting my fingertips.

I'd been biting my bottom lip so hard without even realising that the skin broke. Green eyes flicked back to earthy brown as the doctor knelt in front of me, his gaze steady and stern. He was serious about this, that much I could tell.

I licked the remaining red from my lips and dropped my hand, glancing away from the steely stare.

"I won't ask what your connection to water is, I'm not _that_ nosy," His expression softened ever so slightly, enough for me to be able to shift my gaze back to him. "But, I will say this. I once had a little sister, about your age."

"...What happened to her?" Guilt rose in my chest the moment those words left my mouth. I shouldn't have asked such a personal question! What was I thinking?

But the man simply smiled as he sat on the floor and continued. "Our parents took us to a water themed amusement park during the Summer when we were kids. There were tourists everywhere, and it didn't take long for my sister and I to get separated from each other.

Being the little tyke I was back then, I rejoiced in the fact that I wasn't held back by a tag-along anymore and didn't bother to look for her. I wasted away my time going on rides and playing small stand games. By the time I'd caught up with my parents again it was almost closing time.

They were furious that I'd left my little sister alone. When I found out what happened..." The doctor let out a quiet laugh, followed a soft shake of his head. "You should've seen my face when I was told she'd been pushed over the edge of the harbour."

An involuntary gasp sounded throughout the room, my hand flying up to cover my mouth in shock. "Did she...?"

The man in front of her shook his head again, strands of dark hair beginning to fall out of the neatly combed bunch. "No, she was alright. At least, she was physically. It didn't happen right away and no one had caught onto it.

My sister locked herself up in her room for a long time after that incident. It'd taken months of my parents coaxing her to come out before she'd finally given in and re-surfaced to the world. She was different after that...always quiet, always timid, always alone...it was almost like she'd become a frightened animal. She'd jump at the littlest things.

Especially when it included any body of water. She'd stopped taking baths and only ever took showers. She started avoiding the beach by walking through the city to get to school, even if it meant she got a detention for being late.

The aquarium used to be one of her favourite places to visit, but that too she started avoiding. My parents thought nothing of it for a long while, assuming she was just growing out of her love for water.

I too ignored the signs, and I ignored her as well. The guilt I felt for that day was easier to manage when I didn't have to face my little sister. So she became nothing but a part of the background to me. It went on like that for years...

Up until her second year of high school. It took us all by surprise...my parents were devastated and I was in denial."

"You mean..." I wrapped my arms around myself as a shuddering chill crept through my body, numbing me to the very core. The doctor swung his gaze my way, confirming my thoughts with a sullen nod.

"My parents blame me for it...and deep down I do too. She was suffering quietly for so long...lost and all alone. Dealing with the trauma by herself. My sister wanted to find peace, a safe haven from the dark thoughts she couldn't shake...she eventually found that peaceful place she'd been searching so hard for."

"I'm...s-so sorry..." My voice cracked under the strain of trying to speak. My throat felt too tight and my shoulders were trembling.

"It happened a long time ago." The man dismissed quietly. He suddenly stood up again, pushing off the floor and dusting his hands on his denim pants. He reached for the briefcase holding all his medical supplies, his large hand slipping around the cool, silver handle and hoisting it up.

"I-Is..." I cleared my throat as he turned to look back at me. Steadying my nerves, I flicked my eyes up to his own. "Is that why you became a doctor? To save others...in place of your sister?"

The man sent me a knowing smirk, turning his head down as he flicked the lid of his lighter. "You're a smart one, kid. But it's not the only reason...do me a favour, will you?"

I nodded quietly, signalling for him to continue. I was caught off-guard by the sudden intensity of his gaze landing on me again. His eyes were as hard as rock and as cold as ice, that once warm underlying tone now replaced by a steely resolve. He flicked shut the lighter in his hand and stashed it into the pocket of his coat, turning to face me completely; his burly shoulders blocking the light filtering through the doorway.

"Get some help, Miss Tachibana. There are only two roads people like you and my sister can take, there is no in between. Get the help you need, and choose the correct path before it's too late to turn back.

Because if you keep going the way you are now, no one will be able to save you."

With those words left hanging in the room, the doctor turned and made his exit, muttering a quick apology to someone on the other side of the wall before continuing on his way.

I sat there, motionless amongst the messy cream sheets. My mind felt cluttered with thoughts, but none of them I could hold onto long enough to make any sense of. They were like fish in a large pond, always slipping through the gaps of my fingers, unable to be caught.

My vision began to blur, my cheeks bathed in a warm, wet substance. I felt chilled to the bone, my limbs shaking in an uncontrollable fit even though I was numb to the temperature around me.

My breathing came out short and wispy, my lungs heaving with the effort it took. The little organ tucked away beneath my battered ribs fluttered unevenly as if it were trying to escape it's cage.

I was so caught up in myself that I didn't even notice the person making their way across the floor towards the bathroom.

He watched with a somewhat muddled expression, obviously not sure what to do in such a situation. After much hesitation the sound of the bathroom door closed with a soft click, though it fell on deaf ears.

The side of my head met with something soft, the remnants of warmth clinging to it. I inhaled deeply, realising it was a pillow.

Haruka's pillow, to be exact. I could tell by the smell. Realisation suddenly dawned on me. I was still in the boys room; in Haru's bed.

I'd been so lost in thought I'd momentarily forgotten where I was. What if someone came in and saw me in such a state? What would they think?

What would I say?

I quickly wiped my face on the sleeve of my pyjama shirt, staining the cotton. I buried my face in the pillow, sweeping my arms up and underneath it before rolling onto my stomach and hugging it to me with all the force I had.

It'd been so long since I'd cried over the accident.

...But was it the accident I was even crying over? Or was it the story of the doctor's little sister?

I just didn't know anymore, maybe it was both...or maybe it was because of something else entirely.

The material pressed to my face began to feel cold and wet, chasing away the rest of the heat within it. I lifted my head enough to peak at the pillow, seeing smeared, salty water marks across white.

Why...?

Why am I so weak? What good will crying do? Why can't...

...Why can't I stop these tears?

They just keep flowing...

I can't do anything right...

I'm so weak...I'm...

Maybe that doctor's right? Maybe I should get help...but how? I don't have any money, my parents have left me...everyone's left me. I'm all alone.

No one _can_ help.

You told me to get help, doctor. But how can I...

When there _is_ no one to help me...?

**. . .**

I drifted in and out of sleep for the rest of the day; the same murky dream recurring while I slept, and my thoughts clouded and indecipherable while I was awake.

It was before dawn when I finally decided that getting up was better than going through the same cycle for the next three or so hours.

I removed the sheets from on top of me and swung my legs over the side of the bed, bare feet meeting with the cool, smooth wooden floor. Standing, the bed let out the tiniest of squeaks as the springs adjusted to having no weight on them anymore.

I stood frozen to my spot as the room fell into silence once more, a slight snort coming from Nagisa's general direction.

Tip-toeing, I made my way to the door and closed it softly behind me. The hallway was dark, save for one flickering LED light hanging above.

I took the stairs slowly, the height between each step slightly awkward on my sprained ankle. With one last clumsy step down I made it to the first floor. Brownie points to me for not landing flat on my face a second time.

The vending machine was around the corner and past the reception desk if I remember correctly. I followed the route I was fairly certain I should be taking, relieved to see I'd been right.

I moved around the cluster of tables and chairs littered throughout the small space. The light pouring from the snack machine was bright enough to illuminate my way, so I didn't need to worry about tripping on anything unseen in the dark.

Pulling a small pouch from the pocket of my pyjama pants, I began counting out the amount of yen I'd need for a bottle of iced tea.

Darn it! Looks like I'm 100 yen short...

I searched the insides of my pockets thoroughly, hoping to find a spare coin tucked away in the corners. No such luck...maybe someone left yen lying around here?

Determined to get my iced tea I scouted the room, hoping for a little bit of luck. I checked the chairs, the tables, the various shelving and even the floor, all for a little yen.

"Nothing..." I sighed miserably before sitting back on my legs, wiping the collected sweat from my brow. Searching for money was more of a workout than I'd thought it to be. Who knew? Maybe I'm just disgustingly unfit?

...Yeah, that's probably it.

"...What are you doing?"

A shrill shriek crawled up my throat and escaped me as I spun towards the startling voice, twisting my sore ankle in a distorted direction. I yelped once more as a sudden rush of sharp pain hit me, causing me to fall back as I clutched the throbbing area with both my hands.

"...Are you okay?"

I was suddenly brought back to the realisation of someone else being down here with me.

"Uh, yeah I'm fine. You just caught me off-gua-" I moved to sit up, being wary of the tender ankle, but was surprised to find out who I was actually talking to. "N-Nanase!"

I sprung to my feet, flinching at the sharp ache travelling through my foot and staggered to the side, catching myself on the large, burgundy coloured pole jutting out awkwardly in the center of the room.

Whoever thought it'd be a good idea to put poles inside buildings, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, as it was clear Haruka wasn't going to make a move to catch me in my moment of flailing.

Not that I expected him to though, he's probably had more than enough of touching me to last him _two_ lifetimes.

I stuttered over incoherent words as the usually stoic boy in front of me was sending an incredulous look my way, probably wondering why on earth I was crawling around the floor like an uncivilised cave woman.

"I- uh...was looking for a 100 yen." I clarified, shifting my gaze around the room while nervously pulling on the end of my braided hair.

Haruka's eyes swerved down to the linoleum floor before flicking back up to me, remaining ever silent.

I could feel myself starting to cave beneath his cold stare, that all too familiar look of disinterest causing my palms to become slick with sweat. I wiped them on the sides of my legs, my gaze flicking between the tall boy before me and any other nearby object.

Movement suddenly caught my attention and I glanced down at the round, shiny object rolling between long, thin fingers before disappearing.

An audible _ting_ sounded before I caught sight of the same shiny thing flying towards me. I fumbled to catch it, holding my hands up and cowering behind them, eyes squeezed shut.

The silver object collided with my palm and I closed my fingers around it, turning my hand over to gaze at whatever it was.

100 yen lay flat against my palm, the cool metal almost an icy burn against my heated skin.

I looked up at the retreating form of Haruka Nanase, only now noticing his attire. Was he going for a run this early in the morning? The sun hasn't even shown itself yet!

"Um..!"

Haru halted but didn't turn around, his eyes trained on the world outside of the glass doors in front of him.

"Thank you...f-for the yen, but I can't-"

"It's of no use to me." Haru quickly cut in, his voice as monotone as ever.

"Oh..." I think this is the longest conversation I've ever had with him. Heck, it might even be the first if you discount the one back on the bridge. Ah, speaking of the bridge...I still haven't asked him yet!

I quickly shuffled forward, a slight limp in my step, coming to stand a few feet from the silent boy.

"I also, um...wanted to know if you're okay?" Haruka gave me sidelong glance, clearly not getting what I was hinting at. "You know, from the bridge incident..." I trailed off, not wanting to delve any deeper into the details.

Thankfully he understood though. Haru remained silent and turned his gaze away from me once again, but gave a small nod, more or less answering my question.

"Good..! I'm glad you're fine." I felt a weight I'd never noticed until now lift from my shoulders, my heart beating the slightest bit easier now. It was relieving to know he hadn't been hurt because of my foolishness, the last thing I want is another person...

I stopped that train of thought before it could continue, instead opting to continue the conversation.

"And um...thank you, Nanase. F-for saving me back there," I gazed up the face of the only other person down here. He was still looking in the other direction, but I could tell he was listening. I wrung my hands in front of me, trying to push away the dark thoughts making an effort to resurface. "If it weren't for you, I might have..."

"It's nothing." Haru muttered, his voice echoing in the emptiness of the room despite how quiet he'd been. I watched with bated breath as he moved for the first time in minutes, indicating our conversation was over.

Haruka stepped through the sliding doors, taking off into a steady run once he was a considerable distance from the hotel.

Releasing the breath I'd been holding, I turned from the doors and grabbed the iced tea I'd originally came down here for in the first place. I was almost reluctant to the put shiny silver piece I'd received in the machine.

It was such an odd occurrence to be given something by Haruka Nanase – of all people – that it felt somewhat like this little coin was a memento of sorts.

But in the end my thirst drove me to slip the yen into the tiny black slot, along with the other coins. The vending machine whirred to life and the iced tea jolted in it's spot before sliding towards the edge, dropping to the bottom and rolling into the container for me to retrieve it.

I pulled the plastic flap down and scooped the drink up, cracking the bottle cap open with strained difficulty. A sudden rattle caught my attention and I turned back to the machine. A shiny yen piece was sitting in the coin catcher, glaring up at me as the light pouring from behind the glass bounced off it's surface.

It was Haru's yen...why didn't the vending machine take it? I flicked my gaze up to the list of prices, running them all through my head.

...Ah, the price for the iced tea was the bottom one, not the top. My bad...guess I didn't need the 100 yen after all.

I took the coin and placed it in my little yellow pouch. The thought of giving it back to Haruka crossed my mind, but then I remembered his stony reply _"It's of no use to me."_ and decided against it.

Giving it back would probably just cause more unnecessary hate towards me. I'm sure he loathes me enough, without having to add a little coin incident onto it.

"Guess it's just you and me now, yen." I tucked the pouch away and took a long, somewhat loud sip from the bottle in my hands; enjoying the feeling of cool, refreshing tea sliding down my parched throat as I trekked back up the stairs.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**I know I said another Free! Character was coming into this chapter, but it was already starting to near the 5,000 word mark. I generally try to keep chapters between 2,000 and 5,000 so it's easier for people who don't have much time on their hands to read it.**

**The next chapter after this however will definitely contain all the stuff I promised in this one.**

**What do you think of the 2,000-5,000 word limit? If you'd like to see longer chapters please let me know.**


	9. Eight - Lost In A Disguise

**Lost in A Disguise**

**Chapter 8**

**^.^.^.^**

The figure before me is someone I'm extremely familiar with, someone I've seen my whole life. But I feel like I know nothing about said figure.

She has the same looks, the same frame, the same forced smile and occasional fidget of the hands, all things we both share. But I can't help feeling that we're disconnected from each other, separated by an impassable wall.

Every time I reach out to her, she does as well; but our fingers never meet, blocked by the cold, reflective surface between us.

Why do I feel so lonely when I look at this person? Like I've lost a big part of myself that I'm unable to retain...

She smiles back at me, equally as sadly as I do to her. Will we ever be whole again? I'm not even sure of the part of me that's missing, but I know I'll never be complete until I find it.

I carefully lay my forehead against the surface, she mimics me. We're "touching", but all I can feel is the sheet of glass against my skin.

A suppressed sigh escapes it's hold as my eyes slip shut. When did I go so far as to lose a part of myself, I wonder?

How had I not noticed until now?

Leaning back, my eyes fluttered open to the sight of a straining smile in front of me. It was all-too-familiar, yet completely alien at the same time.

It didn't belong on her face, but it was the only thing she had to hide herself behind. With this smile, people didn't worry or ask questions, they just accepted the lie and moved on.

Others will always ask you "what's wrong?" or "are you okay?" but none of them actually want to hear the truth, the expected answer to give is "nothing's wrong" and "I'm okay". When they're actually presented with the problem, they have no idea how to deal with it or what to say next, which in turn puts a strain on the conversation.

I'm very familiar with how the rules work...So keeping this smile up is the best way to avoid such situations.

But I can't help the underlying fear that wells up within me every time I see such a foreign smile on the girl's strikingly similar features before me.

I feel the more I see that lying expression, the more I'm losing myself. But how do I stop it? It's become such a habit...almost a defense mechanism. I know I can always fall back on it to get me out of tight situations.

But do I really want to keep running away..?

Isn't the path I'm on just leading me further and further down that dark, endless tunnel?

Though I'm not sure if I can even turn around at this point...I don't know how to. The suffocating walls are unbearably tight around me, even the smallest of moves is a great struggle.

I think I'm lost, doctor...there's no way out for me anymore.

...I've already accepted the inevitable.

My gaze snapped away from the mirror as my body spun in reaction to a loud bang coming from the other room. What on earth was that? Is someone breaking in?

Ever so cautiously, I crawled my way towards the bathroom door, taking a quick peek into the conjoined room.

In the boys room sat someone dripping wet and heaving heavily, his hair soaked and clinging to his forehead, shielding the pain in his eyes from my sight.

My stomach dropped to the floor when I realised who it was, my legs immediately reacting to the situation and carrying me forward of their own accord.

"Nanase!"

. . .

The feeling of salt laden water was always such a different experience to that of a pool. It was more wild and aggressive, it's sadistic nature always testing you at every chance it got. Whereas pools were calm and docile, tamed by the human touch to flow with them, and not against.

Haru honestly preferred both feelings, but there was something a little more exhilarating about swimming within mother nature herself.

A lot of people misunderstood the ocean's intentions, they fought against the strength rather than letting themselves succumb to it.

It's only when you resist it that unfortunate things happen, if you simply just let the water know you mean it no harm, it will stop.

Haruka gazed with half-lidded eyes at the sparse clouds above, floating within the sea's embrace. Raising one arm to the sky, Haru stretched his fingers out and moved his hand over the sun, blocking the harmful rays from his face.

How long has he been in the water now? Haru remembers going for a run in the early hours of the morning to try and clear his head. Lately he's been having confusing dreams that have done nothing but muddle his thoughts.

Haru hated not being able to think clearly, and in his irritated state he'd automatically carried himself towards the ocean, seeking comfort. He'd been swimming ever since, and the sun was now almost completely in the middle of the sky, beaming down on him viscously in an attempt to dry up all the water.

Haru glared at the massive star before turning over and diving beneath the glistening surface. For the first few hours of the morning the freestyle swimmer was practising his stroke, leisurely cruising across the water with little effort.

After awhile though Haruka noticed that same tight, nagging feeling from yesterday reappearing in his shoulder and lower abdomen; though like last time, he chose to ignore it.

Turns out that wasn't the best idea though, because that little pulling eventually bloomed into a pain so great that Haru had to bring his laps to a halt completely.

The boy had been floating around for at least a good hour or two, just waiting for the aches to subside. Although they'd diminished greatly, he was still very aware of their presence.

Finding himself impatient, Haru began his stroke once more, moving his arms up and around like clock-work as his legs kicked effortlessly, propelling him forward.

The cliff side was fast approaching and Haruka thought it a good opportunity to use the base protruding from the ocean as a wall to tumble-turn off. Just as the swimmer took his last breath and threw himself into the turn the pain rose up and reared it's ugly head, coming back sharper than ever.

It happened so suddenly that Haruka gasped at the force of it, inhaling a lungful of rough, salty liquid. The boy flailed within the clutches of the ocean to turn himself upright before stretching his legs out.

His bare feet met clumsily with the coarse sand beneath him and he abruptly stood, bursting through the surface and coughing up the body of water within his lungs.

A searing burn travelled throughout the whole of his shoulder, splitting to follow down both the lengths of his left arm and spine. His legs quivered with the effort it took to hold him up, the muscles in his abdomen spasming as they were pinched and pulled distressingly.

Haruka's breaths were short and raspy, the occasional gasp slipping out as he tried to refill his lungs with much needed oxygen. Why had it gotten this bad all of a sudden?

He was fine just yesterday, not well enough to join in on the practice sessions but swimming in the ocean wasn't a problem.

The swimmer tried to get back into his laps but his efforts proved futile when he couldn't even retract from his hunched over position. His shoulders were sagged and his knees bent, the minuscule waves lapping at the boys trembling torso.

As much as he wanted to, Haru knew he couldn't stay in the ocean, not in this condition. Stumbling over his feet he heaved himself towards the shoreline, thankful that it was a work day and not too many people were around to send bewildered glances his way.

The walk back to the hotel was brutal, to say the least. There were several times when the swimmer had to lean against a tree or pole for support while he got his breath back. His shoulder was killing him, the pain so overwhelmingly unbearable that he felt his vision fraying at the edges.

Would he even make it back like this? Haruka couldn't say for sure, so he stayed close to any walls in case he needed to catch himself.

Hauling himself up the stairs was the most challenging thing so far. With his brows knitted together and teeth clenched so tight he thought they might shatter, the boy finally made it – with great effort – to the top, all but dragging himself along the walls towards his room at this point.

The door was thankfully unlocked, why though Haru didn't care in the slightest at the moment. The only thing on his mind right now was to get inside and just collapse.

Haruka fell over the threshold like a rag doll, a pained hiss seeping between his gritted teeth as he hit the wooden floor.

The smell of heavy perspiration clung to the boys skin as he heaved himself over to the nearest wall, leaning up against it. Haru felt his head flop forward, his was vision murky and nothing seemed recognisable to him.

He wasn't even sure if he'd made it to the right room. Though he didn't care at this point, he was just glad the others were out and didn't have to see him like this. Lord only knows how much they'd fuss over it if they saw him in such a state.

The death grip on his shoulder did nothing to alleviate the aches coursing through it; if anything it made it worse, but Haru couldn't get his hand to let go.

He'd completely lost all control over his body at this point.

Haruka heard a muffled cry, almost sounding like his name. Was he hallucinating too now? Maybe he shouldn't have refused the nurse's help back at the hospital after all, had he known he'd get to this point.

The swimmer tried to lift his gaze, but his head refused to co-operate. A sudden brush to his forehead sent unexpected tingles throughout the area; the cool, gentle touch pleasantly relieving to his flushed skin.

He begged for that coolness to return, to chase away the suffocating heat surrounding him. But he was sorely disappointed when whatever had taken interest in him suddenly disappeared from his side.

Just when he thought he was alone again, that earlier presence returned. Something chillingly cold and wet was suddenly strewn across his forehead.

He flinched away upon contact, but soon revelled in it as a voice mumbled nonsense to him in hopes that he'd understand.

Haru didn't. He could barely make out what the person was saying, let alone who it even was. That didn't matter to him right now though.

They were helping to rid him of the uncomfortable heat, and that much he was grateful for.

Haruka laid in the comfortable silence. When had he transitioned to lying down? He wasn't sure...but the sudden acknowledgement of something beneath his head indicated that he'd fallen over at some point.

He was aware of the feeling of something gently running through his hair, brushing it away from his face even though the action was useless as the locks just stubbornly fell back into place.

The boy knew his hair was disgustingly slick with the saltiness of the ocean and his sweat, but it didn't seem to deter the person.

Just as Haruka found himself to be enjoying the brush of fingers against his scalp they suddenly stopped. The smallest of frowns graced his lips as he longed for the contact to return. It'd been distracting him from his shoulder and abdomen, but now that the caressing was gone the pain began to creep it's way back in, taking over full force.

Haru groaned and rolled his head in the other direction, his nose brushing up against something soft. The boy opened his eyes with a flutter, his vision slowly returning to him. He squinted against the harsh sunlight and turned his head back up.

A heap of brown locks hung above him, framing his face in an almost halo like form. He couldn't make out the face coupled with the head of hair though. It seemed familiar...yet he couldn't grasp the person's name.

As the blurred edges slowly came back into focus, the person hovering above him was one he suddenly felt like crawling very far away from.

"...Oh, you."

The girl's face fell just the slightest at his less than grateful response but she was quick to cover it up.

"You're awake! I'm glad," She heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back, allowing Haruka full view of the ceiling. "Are you feeling okay? Y-you were in a pretty terrible condition...what happened?"

Haruka glanced away, refusing to look at the girl. "Nothing really."

"_Something_happened," The annoying girl pressed, her voice showing a sliver of hesitance. "Was it back at the bridge..? Am I the reason-"

"It's nothing." Haru insisted, wishing Hanako would just be quiet already.

A long, awkward silence ensued. It was tense to sit through, but he'd be damned if he was the first to break it. Hanako also seemed to be in turmoil over the silent atmosphere.

She opened her mouth a few times, but always ended up redrawing from whatever she wanted to say. Haru gave the girl a sidelong glance, feeling his brows pull together in exasperation as the brunette struggled internally with herself.

What on earth did she want to say? Just spit it out already...

In the end the quiet must've got on the girl's nerves because she quickly stumbled to her feet, mumbling something about re-wetting the cloth before plucking it from his head and retreating to the bathroom.

Haru sighed as he flicked his gaze upwards, staring at nothing in particular. He had to admit, he felt a _little_bad for his cold shouldering towards Makoto's cousin, not enough to stop though.

He just found her presence so..._overwhelming_! Whenever she was in the room, it took all he had to keep in his attention off her. Haruka was just so aware of her all the time that it easily grated on his nerves, causing him to be unforgivably frosty; well, more so than usual.

The distant boy wouldn't usually let such a trivial person in his life bother him to such an extent, but there was just something about her that rubbed him the wrong way. Haruka had been sure it was simply just because of her hatred for what he loved, but thinking over it he realised it was more than just that.

Not only was it her phobia of water that got to him, but it was also that blatantly fake smile she'd always put on for show.

He was pretty sure the others hadn't caught onto it, but after observing the girl for the past week it was clear to him it was all an act on her part.

Haru didn't like pretenders. It made him wonder just what sort of secret she was hiding from everyone.

. . .

I wringed the cloth over the basin, squeezing out the excess water and letting the cool droplets run through my fingers before padding back into the other room.

I snuck a quick peek at the dishevelled swimmer sprawled out on the floor. For the first time since I'd rushed in to help I realised that said boy was lying clad only in his swimsuit, the rest of him exposed to the humid Summer air.

The sweat on Haruka's skin had begun to dry off now, though some perspiration still rolled over his well-toned body. The breeze floating in from the window brought out an involuntary shiver from the swimmer, though he seemed to be enjoying it's pleasant chill.

Now that my thoughts had calmed down, I was just starting to notice the situation I'd gotten myself into. I had questions for the boy, such as why he'd come back injured and how come he wasn't at Samezuka with the others?

But I knew I wouldn't get any answers, I'd already tried asking him earlier to no avail.

Kneeling beside Haru once more, I carefully laid the soaked cloth across his forehead, eliciting a soft, content sigh from the boy.

He had quite the fever, his face – along with pretty much the rest of his body – was flushed a bright red, a colour so bizarre on _the_Haruka Nanase that in any other situation I would've found it almost laughable.

"I've got to call Miss Amakata and tell her what's going on." I moved to stand again but something suddenly reached out to my arm, holding it in a viper like grip. I was startled by the action and flopped back down, unsure of what to do.

Haru glared at me with those dark, resolute eyes of his. I found myself unable to look away from them as I gazed back in a concerned manner.

"Don't." Was all he said, voice unwavering.

"But..." I slowly inched my other hand towards the little phone in my pocket, hoping he wouldn't notice. But of course, with a boy who's vision is as sharp as a hawks nothing would get past him.

He tugged my arm roughly to throw me off. I almost lost my balance and tumbled straight on top of him, luckily I was able to catch myself on the wall though.

"Don't tell them." He insisted harshly.

...Don't tell _them_? Did he mean Makoto and the others? Does he not want them to know?

A conversation between myself and Makoto suddenly sprang to mind. I remember him telling me that Haru has a bad habit of keeping things to himself so as not to worry other people unnecessarily.

I flicked my eyes down to the stormy blue orbs below me, their usual icy cold gaze feeling the slightest bit warmer all of a sudden. A small smile broke it's way through my resolve for just a fraction of a second before I quickly covered it back up.

If Haru had noticed, he didn't show it.

"Okay Nanase, I won't...but please, just trust me on this one?" Haruka gave me a suspicious look, as if summing up whether or not he could actually lay his trust in me.

It seemed I'd won him over though because the aloof boy finally gave a quiet "hmpf" before swerving his steely gaze the other way.

I gently peeled the heated fingers from my arm, noticing slightly red marks left imprinted on my skin. I brushed it off and reached for my phone, swiftly getting up and exiting the room.

I wasn't going to contact the others like I promised, but I knew someone I could call in this kind of situation. I just needed his number...

Hoping Miss Amakata might have it, I entered the girl's room, crossing the floor – which felt like I hadn't touched it in forever – to get to the dresser.

The teacher's handbag was in plain sight, the corner of her purse protruding from the unzipped pocket.

I mentally apologised to Miss Amakata for raiding her things before beginning the search. None of the handbag pockets held what I was looking for, so I moved on to the purse.

Oh mum, aren't you proud of what your daughter's become? I mentally mused over this predicament as I shuffled through the collection of business cards the teacher had acquired over the years.

How does anyone end up with this many cards stashed away? Surely they're not _all_needed...

I placed the ones which weren't what I was looking for in a neat stack on the dresser, skimming through the various company names labelled at the tops of them before handing them off to the ever growing pile.

There was one in particular that caught my interest. I paused in discarding it to take a closer look, wondering if my eye's deceived me.

But I had indeed seen correctly. The card pinched between my fingers was clearly one for a swimsuit modelling company.

"Miss Amakata, did you...?" I trailed off with a short laugh, quickly placing the laminated rectangle with the rest. I guess everyone has their secrets.

As I continued my shuffling, I found myself vaguely wondering what Haruka's secret might possibly be. If he even had one. Surely an aloof character such as him would be hiding something...right?

Though I really had no right to pry has I too was hiding a secret of my own.

"Ah, here it is!" I plucked the specific card from the several fanned out in my hand and placed the rest back into the purse.

I turned away from the dresser and flipped open the silver phone given to me when I was younger. It was an outdated model, but it did it's job so I never thought to replace it. It's not like I have money to be throwing around carelessly on electronic blocks anyway.

My eyes caught sight of the little crystal animal hanging from a thin black strap attached. My fingers paused momentarily as I tried to recall how I'd acquired the delicate piece of air blown glass.

I know it was given to me by someone I used to know a long time ago, but I just for the life of me can't remember _who_. Seeing the tiny sea creature made me wonder where the person who gave it to me was now, and if they even still remembered.

I'm sorry I can't remember you...The only thing I can recall clearly from my memory is the nickname, _Iruka_. Maybe you were a friend of mine from primary? I found it somewhat ironic that my old friend's nickname happened to correspond with the animal pendant I've been given.

Deciding to leave my thoughts there, I glanced at the number in the corner and punched it in, having to press rather hard on the keypad just for the phone to accept the numbers I was dialling.

My heartbeat picked up in speed as the sound of ringing echoed from the phone. Calling people was always one of those things that made me a little jittery, there was just something but talking to someone without being able to see their face that made me resent using phones.

Probably another reason why I'd never bothered with upgrading to some of the trendier models out on the market.

The person on the other end picked up after the third ring, but didn't immediately say anything, causing my anxiety to sky-rocket.

Had I called the wrong number? Or maybe he's busy right now...Should I hang up and trying again later? No, I can't do that. Haruka needs help _now_.

Please say something, Mr...

I almost jumped out of my skin at the gruff greeting on the other end of the line. "Hello?"

"Um..! Hi, doctor sir...I'm sorry, I didn't really catch your name the last time-"

My rambling was cut short by the man's abrupt question. "Just who is this?"

"Oh, s-sorry! It's me, T-Tachibana Hanako...I was hoping-"

"Tachibana?" The doctor mumbled as he mulled over the name.

"U-uh, yes..." I was about to continue in asking for his help when he suddenly let out a noise of recognition.

"Ah! Yes, I know who you are now. How did you get my number?" The man inquired, his grumpy tone lessening considerably.

"Err...well, I kind of found it..." I decided dancing around the truth was better for now. He didn't need to know I was a snoop.

"Uh-huh," He didn't sound very convinced. "Well, you obviously called me for a reason, right? So what seems to be the problem?"

I reached up for the glass ornament tied to my phone, gently running the smooth animal between my fingers as I thought of the best way to word my issue.

"Well, you see...my- uh," Just what exactly do I call Haruka? We're definitely not friends – not before hell freezes over – and I don't think he'd even consider us acquaintances. I'm completely at a loss of what to refer to him as. "Um...one of the swimming boys is at the Hotel and he could use some assistance."

There was a long, drawn out silence on the other end of the phone before I finally got a reply, albeit not one I was expecting.

"..._Swimming boys_?" I could almost hear the laughter in the man's suppressed tone.

"Y-yes..." My palms grew clammy in embarrassment and I had a hard time keeping a hold of the phone in my hand. "Will you please come over and check on him? I-If you're not busy, of course!"

I received a sigh in response, though I wasn't sure if it was good or bad. I was praying for the former.

"Fine, I'll come check up on your _swimming boy_. Give me ten minutes."

I was about to yell at the ridiculous notion of Haruka being _my_swimming boy, but the sound of the call ending rang clear in my flaming ears.

I exhaled dismally in response to the abrupt hang up and closed the old phone before returning it to my pocket, along with the card.

Sorry Miss Amakata, but I think I'll hang onto this.

. . .

Haru was getting impatient. He'd been stuck on the floor, writhing in pain for a solid five or so agonising minutes while that girl had skipped off into the hallway and proceeded in taking her sweet time talking to whoever she'd called.

He'd heard very little of the conversation, too engrossed in the massive headache coming to join in on the pain he was already subjected to; but the word swimming had been enough to catch his attention for as little as a nanosecond before his mind was reeled back into the sweaty mess that he currently was.

Never again would Haruka argue against a nurse, he decided firmly.

The pounding in Haru's head as he tried to sit up only intensified, causing the walls to spin in such a dizzying motion the boy felt he was going to hurl if he kept his eyes open any longer.

He moved onto his elbow to try and stabilise himself a little better, but the action sent a spike of flames through his shoulder. Haruka let out a strangled gasp at the intensity of it and suddenly fell back, unable to hold his own weight up anymore.

Haru was expecting the hard impact with the floor and braced himself, but it never came. He instead landed on something much softer than wood. A pillow? No, it wasn't quite that soft.

His eyelids struggled with the effort it took to open, but with half-lidded eyes the raspy boy flicked his gaze up to a pair of emerald jewels gleaming back at him.

No, they weren't jewels...but a pair of eyes. Who's eyes though?

They resembled Makoto's, but they were shades lighter than the tall brunette's own. They held the same soft kindness, but there was a tint of fear hidden deep within.

...Haru knew who's eyes these were. This worried gaze boring into his own disoriented orbs belonged to none other than the little cousin of his best friend.

They'd seemed so familiar to him, but Haru just summed it up to the fact that they were strikingly similar to that of Makoto's. That, and also because he was almost at the point of passing out.

Haruka said nothing as he closed his eyes again, not even bothering with telling the girl to let go of his head. He didn't particularly like the feeling of her dry hands touching him, but he wasn't about to complain.

She'd just saved him from a concussion after all.

"Nanase! Are you okay? What happened? Why did you sit up? Please, say something!" The girl above him was panicking at his carelessness, and Haru was finding it a tad annoying.

"You're too loud." He grumbled simply. He'd technically given her the response she'd asked for, to "say something". Maybe she'll leave him alone now?

"Y-you didn't really answer my questions..."

...Of course not, that's just wishful thinking.

"I want to sleep." Haru mumbled incoherently. He'd be surprised if the brunette actually picked up on what he'd said, even he himself wasn't quite sure of the words that'd left his mouth.

Though she apparently had a natural talent at deciphering slurred sentences beyond normal comprehension, because almost immediately she went into a worried frenzy, yet again.

And Haru thought Makoto's mothering was annoying, his best friend paled greatly in comparison to the girl currently holding his head captive...the boy immediately took back every snide remark he'd ever made about Makoto's worrywart personality over the years.

"You can't go to sleep, Nanase! Please stay awake for just a little but longer, the doctor will be here any minute now."

Haruka felt the muscles in his face twitch, his jaw clenching in irritation at the brunette's incessant babbling.

He wasn't usually ever the one to lose his temper over such a small thing, especially when he dealt with Makoto's mothering on a daily basis. But right now the swimmer had a headache the size of the ocean and listening to the constant nagging of _her _in his ear was not sitting well with him.

With a tone harsher than he'd ever thought possible and a glare so threatening that even hot-blooded bulls would hesitate to charge him, Haru's soul-piercing gaze bore into the girl like drills as he quickly silenced her with his deathly chilling reply of, "I'm not going to die in my sleep, so leave me alone."

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**So...**

**Yes, this is another chapter.**

**And yes, ****_once again_****, the F!Character has been pushed even further back into the next one...(Though let's be honest, I'm sure you know who it is by now.)**

**I'm sorry, but by the time I was finished writing all this up and editing and all that deliriously fun stuff I realized that I'd reached the word limit I've set. In fact, it's actually over by nine.**

**I was honestly going to include the new character's scene in with this one, but it turns out this particular scene took more time than I'd originally thought it would.**

**Moving on, if you see any mistakes at all throughout the paragraphs please alert me to them as I was in a rush to get this finished before swimming training.**

**I will get to fixing them whenever the next chance arises.**


	10. Nine - Old Friends, NewTeacher?

**Old Friends, New...Teacher?**

**(Part 1)**

**Chapter 9**

**^.^.^.^**

"So, I was thinking we could possibly head to the mall today," The Swim Club Manager dragged her fingertip across the map roughly sketched out in a red pen on a sheet of paper before everyone. "There's a few things I need to pick up for the pool's maintenance before we head back."

"Ah, good idea Gou-chan! We can also make a detour to the Sportswear shop," The bouncy blonde leaned over to press his own finger to the spot he'd mentioned. "And then we'll go for ice-cream!"

"Please, Nagisa, no more ice-cream..." Rei looked visibly greener at just the mention of the creamy treat.

"Huh? How come Rei-chan?"

"I have to agree with Rei on this one..."

"Ehhh? You too, Mako-chan?!" Nagisa cried at his friends rejection of his favourite dessert, throwing himself across the table they were all gathered around.

"...Sorry, Nagisa." Makoto held his hands up in an apologetic manner as the blonde shuffled across the wooden furniture to get all up in the brunette's face.

"Nagisa, you can't eat ice-cream all the time!" Gou pushed the sweet-toothed boy off the table before he could ruin her map. Nagisa gave them all his signature pout before picking himself up from the floor and rejoining the circle.

"But guys, we always eat ice-cream!"

"And that's exactly why we don't want it this time!" Exclaimed Rei heatedly, sending the shorter swimmer an exasperated look before placing a hand against one side of his jaw, feigning a pained expression. "I can already feel a cavity coming through on one of my molars..."

"Ah...Rei-chan that just means you don't brush your teeth well enough!"

"O-of course I do!" The butterfly swimmer slammed his hands down onto the table, his face flushing sporadically. "In fact, my dentist says I have some of the best sets of teeth he's ever seen!"

Nagisa snickered as his friend made a show of crossing his arms and holding his head high with pride.

"His dentist must be a pathological liar then." The blonde murmured in Gou's ear, to which she only sighed in resignation at the boy's immature antics.

"I heard that! Nagisa..!"

"Now, now," Makoto decided their squabbling had gone far enough and made to step in between the two, playing the typical matriarch role he held in this cluster of friends. "That's enough of that. Nagisa, why do you want to go to the Sportswear shop?"

In typical Makoto fashion he'd directed the attention onto another subject entirely, almost instantly deflating the argument that'd just occurred.

"Well..." Nagisa rolled back on his heels as he looked off to the side, swinging his arms behind him before latching his fingers together and suddenly leaning forward. "I kind of need to get a new swimsuit."

"Huh? But you were just using it yesterday..."

"Yeah," Gou second Makoto's statement, turning to the blonde with folded arms. "It seemed perfectly fine to me."

"Right, but that one's an old pair I keep around as a spare. It's gotten too small for me since starting up the club last year!"

"Ah..." Rei gave a finalising nod, as if he'd finally realised something. "That's why you're swimming was off during the sessions."

"You're as sharp as ever, Rei-chan!" Nagisa beamed at the blue-haired boy, who's ego only grew at the compliment.

"Why of course! One must always be aware of his team mates progression!"

"Okay Rei, that's far enough..." The Manager shook her head dismally before flicking an annoyed gaze at the bouncing teen beside her. "Now you've done it, Nagisa, just look at how big his head's getting..."

"You're right, it is growing abnormally large..." Nagisa mumbled in agreement, the two second years watching their classmate with wary expressions.

"It is not!" Rei argued, clenching his fists tightly by his sides.

I continued to watch from afar as Nagisa threw intentional jabs at the flustered butterfly swimmer, even Gou was starting to get in on the act. Poor Makoto was struggling to diffuse the situation this time, his diplomatic responses clearly not working anymore.

As the noise went on, I'd snuck a quick glance at the only other quiet person in the room. He sat completely motionless on the same bed as I, though there was a good half a meter of distance between us. Which was honestly perfectly fine with me.

I can't stop replaying the scene that happened not even an hour ago in my head. Those words he'd said to me specifically were what I couldn't let go of.

I know it's something I shouldn't get so hung up over, especially since I knew they were only said out of frustration because of the psychical pain he'd been going through, but even so...

"_I'm not going to die in my sleep, so just leave me alone."_

...Of course I knew you wouldn't, even so...I...

Those memories all came flooding back. A white room, a white bed and a vase of flowers. The _get well soon _card that sat beside the stuffed teddy bear holding a red heart with the words written in cursive writing: _feel better! _stitched onto the middle of it. The scent of perfume...I could smell it so clearly, even now, I still remember it. I remember the exact brand, it's one that hasn't been re-stocked in stores for years.

I shook those intrusive thoughts away, refusing to let them go any further.

"...Stop staring at me like that."

At the sound of an annoyed tone I blinked away the images, noticing a pair of impatient deep sea eyes staring right back at me.

"Ah! R-right, sorry..!" I swivelled my head down to the floor, hoping the others hadn't noticed our exchange. Haruka doesn't want anyone else to know about his condition. If I start acting differently all of a sudden they might catch on.

I have to play along and pretend I know nothing. We have to continue to ignore each other, just as we have for the past week. Yeah...just pretend and it'll be okay.

That's what I've done for so many years, right..? So this should be easy...

When I still felt a lingering gaze upon me my entire body went rigid. Why is he still looking this way? Does he want the others to notice?!

My stomach knotted up with unease. I could feel the panic of my heart rising deep within it's cage.

Look away. Please look away...I don't think I can handle the stress anymore!

"Ah...Haru?"

My blood came to a screeching halt in my veins, instantly turning cold at the sound of Makoto speaking up. Oh no, he's noticed...! What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?!

Nanase, please say something! Anything to divert their suspicions away from us!

"Hn?" Was Haru's only reply. The heavy gaze lifted from my shoulders, but my entire body was still frozen solid. We weren't in the clear just yet...

"Are you okay with going to the mall?"

At Makoto's innocent question my insides immediately defrosted, I felt such a huge wave of relief overcome me all at once that I almost fell back onto the neatly made bed when my limbs turned to jelly.

Finally, I can breath again...I hadn't even noticed when I'd stopped.

…Turns out I'm really not good at hiding other people's secrets.

I can handle my own just fine, but when it comes to someone else's...I'm completely useless.

...I wonder why that is?

Makoto must've noticed my odd behaviour, because he was quick to turn his attention on me after receiving a satisfactory answer from Haruka.

"Are you feeling okay, Hanako? You don't look too well all of a sudden..."

I let out a small noise, sitting up the slightest bit straighter while flashing Makoto a reassuring smile. "Mhm, I'm okay!"

...It's not me you need to be worried about right now, Makoto...

As the rest gathered their things and made their way towards the door, I couldn't help sneaking another quick side glance at the boy next to me.

I felt my brows furrow as Haru moved to get up, pausing for the smallest of seconds before continuing on to where everyone else was waiting.

"Come on Hana-chan, or you'll get left behind!"

"C-coming!" I jumped from my spot and rushed to the others, closing and locking the door behind me before following the group from the back.

Staring at the head of black hair in front of me, a heavy weight suddenly fell inside me, causing my stomach to churn sickeningly.

Are you really well enough to be moving around so much, Nanase...?

. . .

Sitting in the comfort of the mall's air-con, the group decided to take a quick break before continuing on.

So far we've visited every shop _except_the ones we'd originally planned on going to in the first place. Makoto and the others were constantly asking whether I was doing fine or not.

I always dissipated their concerns with the same reassuring response. My ribs were starting to ache the slightest, and my ankle was making it all the more difficult to walk properly and not let anything show, but I know this little bit of discomfort is nothing compared to what Haruka must be feeling right now.

For the entire trip my attention had been on nothing but Haru's condition. He'd been quiet ever since the others got back early from Samezuka.

Apparently the pool was scheduled for cleaning that morning, so the practice was pushed back to the late afternoon.

I remember the dread that crossed my face when I heard the unexpected sounds of rambunctious swimmers feet slapping noisily up the stairs towards us.

In a state of panic I'd jumped from the bed, ripped out the first shirt in sight from the dresser and practically thrown myself at the flabbergasted swimmer to pull it over his head.

Haru had contributed nothing in helping me to get the material over the rest of him, choosing instead to sit as stiff as a statue like I was some sort of T-rex just waiting to sink my teeth into him with one wrong move.

Getting his arm through the hole had proven to be a difficult task, though the sudden jerk of his shoulder quickly unfroze the Liberty imitator.

After getting the shirt on successfully and realising just what sort of position we'd been in, I swear my face was suddenly hotter than the sun itself.

There I sat, straddling the swimmer's waist, feet on either side of him and my fingers still wrapped in the hem of the light green cloth.

The look on Haruka's face was one I'll never forget. For such a stoic boy, he sure knows how to display when he's so utterly disgusted with something...

Haru's face had turned a very obvious shade of blue, whether it was because he'd been holding his breath or because I just creeped him out that much I wasn't sure, but I was banking on the latter.

After finding the strength to move again, I flung myself across the room and beneath the blanket's of the boy's bed. The heat radiating from my face was enough to warm even the chilliest of winter nights and was making the stuffy air hard to breathe, but I didn't dare come out from my hiding spot.

When the other's finally came into the room, the first thing I remember hearing from my cousin was: "...Haru, why are you wearing my shirt?"

I was pulled from my thoughts as Gou made a grab for my hand and gently pulled me up from my chair. I noiselessly followed the other girl's actions, realising that everyone else was already leaving the small cafe.

"Are you sure you're okay, Hanako? You look really flushed all of a sudden..."

I gave the worried Manager a small smile, followed by a sheepish laugh. "I'm fine, really! I was just caught up in thought, that's all."

"Ooh?" Nagisa dropped back from the front of the group after overhearing our little conversation. He swung one arm over my shoulders and leaned in dangerously close to my face. "What was Hana-chan thinking about? Must be something pretty dirty~!"

The rosy hue in my cheeks only deepened at Nagisa's playful jabbing. "N-N-Nagisa, please-..!" I couldn't form a coherent sentence, my tongue refusing to work properly. I placed my cool hands on either side of my face, willing the heat to go away.

"Geez, Nagisa, leave her alone already. You shouldn't pick on the injured!" Gou slapped the offending arm from my shoulders and gave the blonde a rough push to the side. Nagisa easily danced away before spinning around so he could walk backwards and face us.

"Sorry, sorry! You forgive me, right, Hana-chan?" The bouncy teen rubbed at the nape of his neck before clapping his hands together in front of him and bowing his head in mock apology.

I gave him a wobbly smile, waving a dismissive hand at the boy's actions. "O-of course, Nagisa."

The boy cheered in celebration before spinning to face the right way and catching up with the others in front.

Everyone strolled into the Sportswear shop, making their way towards the swimming section of the store. I took up a seat on the nearby chairs lined along one of the walls not too far from the changing rooms.

Nagisa was quick to drag Rei off to one of the racks further away, while Gou and Makoto stood for a little longer, conversing with Haru.

The three eventually separated and went there own ways, Gou heading to the girl's section while Makoto went to catch up with the two second years.

My entire body tensed when Haruka started walking this way.

Oh no...more awkward silence.

I continued to stare straight ahead at the unappealing poster on the opposite wall advertising goggles and swim caps as the aloof boy took up a seat three spaces away from me.

I was at least thankful for the distance.

A quick glance over to my right told me that Haruka was starting to break out into a sweat, the first signs of fever.

...I knew he wouldn't cope with this, why didn't I try to stop him from coming along? Fishing through the small handbag placed on my lap, I pulled out a 600ml bottle of store bought water and a thin silver sheet of tablets.

"Nanase..."

The swimmer gave me a side-long glance at the mention of his name. Good, he's still responding. I was afraid he might have gone back to ignoring my existence entirely...

I held out the items. Haru just stared at them without making any indication of taking them. His calculating gaze flicked back up to me, looking suspicious.

"It- It's Ibuprofen. I-I thought I should bring some along in case you got any worse," I broke the intense stare by averting my gaze to his collarbone, unable to hold it any longer. "I know Dr. Yoshida gave you some earlier, but it seems like it's starting to wear off, so-"

"You talk too much."

I glanced up at Haru in shock, not having expected any sort of response from him. "Um...but you'll take it, right?"

Without another word Haruka reached over and took sheet, popping three tablets from their casing before tipping his head back and throwing them in. I cracked the bottle open before handing it over, to which he gratefully took and began sculling like there was no tomorrow.

"Ah, N-Nanase...if you drink that fast you might-!"

Haru swallowed the last of the refreshing liquid before hanging his head forward, a heavy breath escaping him. I watched as a trail of water glided down his chin, dropping off at the point and landing on the strap of his sandal.

He sat up a little straighter before tossing me the empty plastic, his gaze focused elsewhere. I fumbled to catch the bottle and put it back in my handbag, along with the rest of the tablets.

I can't believe he downed all 600ml in one go...does this boy breath water or what?!

The rest of the afternoon was spent browsing various stores after Gou had ordered what she needed.

I kept a close eye on the silent swimmer, sneaking peeks every now and then when there was no one to catch me. I was finding it really difficult to get chances to ask Haruka myself if he was doing okay though, you could only tell so much from mere glances.

His pace had beccome a little slower, but other than that he seemed to be doing alright. I couldn't help but notice how everyone sort of filed around the raven haired boy.

There'd been several times when Nagisa, Makoto or Gou wanted to venture off to see something and had tried dragging the others along with them; but as soon as Haru mumbled that it was too much effort and walked off in the other direction everyone was quick to follow, as if he had them all on leashes.

It didn't take long for me to realise that Haruka Nanase was the center of their group, all the decisions made were based around whether or not Haru would be apart of them.

There'd be some instances where the aloof teen would bend to the pressure of his friends and tag along just to please them, but for the most part if Haruka didn't want to be apart of it, they didn't do it.

I found myself wondering why they'd chosen Haru, of all people, to be their center. It was clear that it wasn't because of his non-existent leadership skills...

Maybe because he's so quiet? But I don't really see how that would work, either...

I guess it's just something I'll never know, since we'll never be close enough for me to ever understand him on a level they all do. Which I was fine with, there's no way an ocean and a desert can co-exist peacefully together after all.

"Hey! I knew all that noise would be coming from you guys."

At the sound of a voice I'd never heard before I turned to see who was approaching the group, but a mass of muscled shoulders were blocking my view. I stretched up onto my tip toes to try and glance over, but that like trying to see the top of Mount Everest from the ground. It was hopeless...

Why on earth are all these boys so tall?...Well, excluding Nagisa of course.

"Ah, Rin! Didn't expect to see you here." Makoto greeted the mysterious person at the front, followed shortly by a very happy sounding Gou beside him.

"Brother, why didn't you tell me you were going to the mall today as well?!" I heard the mystery man grunt at Gou, who was apparently his sister, mumbling something about it being a spontaneous decision and asking Gou to release his arm.

"Rin-chan~!" Nagisa was the next to chime in, bouncing ahead and wrapping his arms around the newcomer's neck, pulling him down to the blonde's level. "You should come along with us!"

"Nagisa, you idiot! That hurts, let go!" Came the man's protest.

I moved to peek around the side of bodies in front of me, but suddenly my wrist was caught in a gentle grip and I was pulled from the sea of muscles. I'm sure Gou would've been having a field day if she were in my position...

"Oh, Rin, I'd like you to meet someone." I glanced at the hand clutching my wrist, realising it was Makoto's. I allowed the limb to lead me towards the front of the group, Rei quickly jumping away and apologising vehemently at the slightest brush of our arms.

I emerged to the front and shielded my eyes, my surroundings being a lot brighter than what they had been at the back. One of the entrances of the mall was behind the person who everyone had been so excited over, letting in an abundance of natural light.

Makoto introduced me to this new friend of his while I rubbed the brightness from my eyes, letting them re-adjust.

"Rin, this my cousin Hanako," Makoto turned to me and I looked up, meeting with a warm smile on the boy's face. "Hanako, this is Rin, the one Haru, Nagisa and I used to swim with him when we were kids."

"Ah, I remember you mentioning him before." I glanced towards the stranger. He was just as tall as the others, though Makoto still topped him by a good few inches. Beneath the loose tank top I could see very defined muscles, the same kinds that the others have.

I flicked my gaze further up. Long, maroon hair falling down to his shoulders and framing his angled face, a similar colour to that of Gou's yet a few shades lighter. They really did look like siblings, there was no denying it.

He had the same deep red eyes as Gou too, though his weren't as gentle and seemed to hold an underlying sense of boredom to them, much like Haru's. But that wasn't what caught my attention.

It was his mouth. It'd only been for a second, but I swear I saw abnormally pointed teeth flash between his slightly parted lips. They were...there was something about them...

I had to see them again. My feet glided across the floor, my thongs slapping against marble tiles as I came right up to the taller teen.

He seemed rather taken aback at my sudden approach, stumbling backwards in an attempt to re-establish some distance between us.

"H-Hey, what do you think you're-!"

Rin fell silent as I leaned in as close as I could get, my nose a hairs width away from brushing the boy's pointed chin.

"H-Hanako! What're you doing all of a sudden?!"

I could faintly hear the protests from Makoto and the others but right now I didn't really care, my mind too caught up on the possibility of what I'd just seen.

Rin made an attempt to shoo me away again, placing a large hand on my shoulder and pushing halfheartedly. "Makoto, get your freaky cousin away from me!"

There it was again, those razor sharp teeth, long and angled into a dangerous point. My heart fluttered in recognition, my hands falling and my feet rolling back to sit flush with the floor once more.

I looked up into the bewildered eyes of the boy in front of me. He seemed at a complete loss of what to do with me. I ignored the pointed glare he was shooting my way and continued to examine him.

His face, once round, had shaped nicely into a jawline fitting of a man. His round eyes were now slanted and sharper, but I could still see a hint of what remained within the depths of his iris's.

I took a long, deep breath to calm my fraying nerves. Now was not the time to be losing my cool, not after all these years. We finally...

"Sa-..." My voice caught in my throat, the words bunching into a lump. I swallowed it down and tried again, clenching my fists tightly. "...Same-kun..."

Rin continued to stare at me like I was some crazy old lady who'd escaped her straight jacket. "_'Same-kun'_?" He repeated, I could see that the name sparked _something _within him, but he wasn't quite there yet.

"Don't you remember?" I asked softly, giving him the most encouraging smile I could muster. "What you used to call me? It was-..."

As if a light had been switched on, it suddenly dawned on Rin just who this person in front of him was. The rest of the group stood awkwardly to the side as Rin and I continued to face each other.

I felt the air leave my lungs and my stomach tighten as the red-head yelled with great surprise, jumping back and pointing at me as if I were some ghost who'd just appeared before him.

"Shīru?!" I let out a giggle as the perplexed boy edged towards me, disbelief clear on his face. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, it's really me!" I jumped forward and hugged the taller teens torso, overwhelmed by excitement. "You've grown so much, Same-kun!"

Rin chuckled and pulled away to hold me at arms length, giving me a once over. "The same can't be said for you though, you're still as short as ever!"

"Hey, I've grown plenty!" I ducked out of Rin's attempt to ruffle my hair, jabbing him playfully in the side. The boy was quick to grab my shoulder and pull me to him, wrapping me firmly in a one-armed embrace so I couldn't escape.

"Wait...you two know each other?"

I glanced back at the group, seeing the looks of shock. My eyes trailed to a certain person in particular, wondering how he'd taken it.

Haru looked like death had just been at his door. His body was rigid, mouth slightly agape and his eyes the widest I've ever seen them. It was somewhat unnerving to see him so shaken up like that.

To anyone outside our circle his reaction might not seem like a big deal, but to the people who knew him, it was probably the equivalent to the land suddenly sinking beneath their feet.

"Yeah, we used to hang out years ago," Rin answered for me, seeming unaffected by the groups silence. "Haru! Why didn't you tell me Shīru was back in town? It's just like you to keep something like that to yourself."

"Huh? Why would Nanase..." I turned in Rin's hold to look up at him, meeting his gaze with a questioning one of my own.

"What? Don't tell me you've forgotten..."

"Forgotten what?" I pressed, placing a hand on the arm that's around me.

Rin sighed and hung his head, looking back up with a click of his tongue. "You two really are as dense as each other."

"...I'm not following." I hated to admit it, especially after Rin's snide remark, but I was completely lost. What am I forgetting that Rin so obviously remembers?

"Does the name _Iruka _ring any bells?"

"Well, yes, but-..." I stopped myself short when my gaze landed on the silent swimmer across from me.

...Silky black hair hanging loosely in his face, deep blue eyes that could rival the brilliance of the ocean itself...those were thoughts I'd had long ago upon our first encounter.

The beach...it's soft white sand sinking between the cracks of my toes, the smell of salt and summer intermingled with the passing breeze, blowing brown locks into my face, obscuring my view of the child in front of me.

He continued to stand there silently as another kid made his way over, jet black hair playing in the wind, an observant gaze resting on my features.

Same came to stand beside the aloof character, grinning hugely at the little version of me idling on the shoreline.

He outstretched a hand, to which I remember taking. The child Rin pulled me towards him and his friend, introducing himself and the boy _Haru _beside him.

I continued to watch the two throughout the day as I tagged along behind them. They constantly bickered, it seemed like it was over every little thing.

They reminded me of two characters from a story my parents always read to me when I was younger, so I'd deemed them with the honorary nicknames of _Same _and _Iruka _respectively.

My legs gave out beneath me, my knees buckling with the effort it took to keep standing. If it wasn't for Rin's firm grip on me I'd have fit the floor by now.

I placed a shaking hand across my quivering lips, staring at the ever-silent swimmer with eyes so wide they could rival a saucepan.

I can't believe...all this time I hadn't realised, just who it was beside me for the past week...

How cruel...

I've been so, so cruel...

How could I not have noticed he was the person who once meant so much to me..?

My eyes pricked and tingled with the sensation of oncoming tears, but they never fell. I refused to let them.

I drew in a shaky breath, holding back the strangled gasps that wanted to make their presence known.

Rin tightened his grip on me in a show of comfort. I appreciated his efforts, I really did. Rin knew just how much this was affecting me, even if I was suppressing it.

He'd been there, he'd heard what the last words spoken between Haruka and I were, all those years ago...

My voice trembled as I whispered a name I hadn't called out in years, my heart squeezing painfully at the torment the three-syllable word caused within me. "...Iruka..."


	11. Ten - Old Friends, New Teacher? (2)

**Old Friends, New...Teacher?**

**(****Part 2)**

**Chapter 10**

**^.^.^.^**

_...I hate you..._

No...not again...

_I hate you!_

Please, no.

_It's all your fault!_

I'm sorry, I didn't mean it...

_I wish I'd never met you!_

Don't say that...

_You and you're stupid-_

Enough, please!

_I hate you!_

Stop it!

The world blurred at the edges, everything grew larger, taller, as the floor came closer.

There was a pressure pushing against my head, squeezing painfully. Sharp objects were digging into my scalp, I couldn't shake whatever it was.

My fingers were aching, my feet numb.

My lungs burned with the effort of breathing, my eyes stung at the pricking in the corners of them.

There was noise all around me.

Loud footsteps, laughter, idle chatting. I could hear it all, but it sounded more like it was inside my head rather than around me.

A whirring engine suddenly took the place of all other noises. It resonated sorely, my eardrums at the point of exploding.

It sounded big, whatever it was. A plane, maybe..?

I've been on planes before...many times, in fact. My first time though was when I left Japan for England.

I was only a mere child back then, a little girl about to set out on an adventure.

But it hadn't felt like one. I remember being so against the idea moving.

I'd fought day and night with my father. Our arguments always ended with me running away from home in tears.

The beach was where I'd always end up.

I remember hating the fact that my legs would forever drag me to the shoreline after such conflict. I hated the reminder of what happened that day, but I was still drawn to the ocean's dark, mysterious aura.

I hated it: the beach, my dad, life...

I hated everything. I'd always thought it was unfair that everyone I loved was slowly being torn away from me.

My brother...my mum...

Eventually my dad, as well.

I used to believe I was cursed. The child me would lean out her window at night and scream at the gods for taking everyone away from her.

I remember my last day in Iwatobi.

Those last words we'd shared...

The tears, the shouting...the leaving without saying goodbye...

At some point in my life, I'd suppressed those memories, like everything else. It'd become just another little piece of my past stowed away in that little black box, never to be seen again.

But now...it's resurfaced.

And I remember everything.

The world slowly came back into focus when I felt something warm and firm clasp my shoulder, shaking me senseless.

The blurred edges faded away, revealing the bustling insides of the mall and the crowd of people surrounding me.

I slowly looked up, short brunette locks gliding across my shoulder as my head tilted back to take in the faces of everyone.

A head of maroon hair blocked my view however. I blinked the person before me into focus.

Sharp crimson eyes gazed at me in concern, a deep crease visible between equally maroon brows.

I felt a calming warmth spread through the back of my hands, my fingers roughly being pried away from whatever they were gripping.

The dull ache in my skull ceased and my hands were brought down to rest in front of me.

Had I been the one causing that pain?

Rin's mouth was moving frantically as he tried to grab my attention. He eventually succeeded.

"**Shīru, are you alright?" My lips twitched in response to my childhood friend's question, but my jaw refused to open, my voice refused to work. When he didn't receive an answer Rin clicked his tongue in frustration and stood, sharply pulling me up with him.**

**I fell forward from the sudden movement, my feet unable to hold me upright. When had I sunken to the floor?**

**I don't remember...**

**Strong arms broke my descent. Makoto? I flicked my eyes upwards to meet with my those of my saviour.**

**No, it was Rin...**

**My hand stretched out of it's own accord, my fingers interlacing with the soft, teal green fabric and tugging it pleadingly.**

**The person wearing the shirt knew exactly what it meant and moved closer, peeling me gently from Rin's grip before encircling me in his own. I was instantly at peace, nestling into the crook of his arm to hide away from the bewildered stares.**

**I heard the familiar voice reasoning with the other curious swimmers before coaxing me away from the group. **

**I don't remember much of how I came to be sitting on one of the many benches placed in the center of the mall, but I do know that Rin had insisted on coming along.**

**So here we were, all three of us jammed onto one wooden seat, myself wedged between two burly athletes who were fawning over my mental state right now.**

**Makoto kept one arm around my shoulders, as if he expected me to suddenly jump from my spot and dash off outside.**

**It was a tempting idea, but I don't think I had the strength to make it right now...**

**My entire body felt like it'd gone into some sort of shut-down mode, while my mind was a strange mixture of numbness and over-thinking all at once.**

**Numb, because I couldn't quite grasp the reality of this situation. Yet there were so many thoughts flying through all at once that I couldn't focus on just one thing at a time.**

**I shifted my unfocused gaze downwards, inspecting my fingers. There were thin layers of crusted red beneath my nails. Had I really dug into my scalp hard enough to draw blood?**

**It was strange though, I couldn't feel the pain at all anymore. Maybe I've gone into shock...**

**My head turned without consent to the sound of Makoto's worried tone. He was watching me intently with those pristine emerald jewels of his, thin threads of concern laced deep within them.**

**I can't believe I've only just noticed how much my eyes paled in comparison to his. We shared a similar colour, as most of the Tachibana's do, but his were such an intense saturation of green that it was hard to compete with.**

**His sparkled like diamonds, while mine were the equivalent to that of a jade stone. They were pretty to look at I guess, but they held no real shine to them.**

**I glanced over at Rin when he also started speaking. Rin's eyes also shone brighter than my own, putting even the most well-crafted ruby gems to shame.**

**My thoughts immediately drifted towards Haruka and his soul-gripping orbs. Not even a master crafter could replicate the sheer vibrancy that Haru's eyes held. They were giant pools of every shade of blue imaginable, easy to lose yourself in.**

**But they were also as hard to stone, especially whenever he was unfortunate enough to glance my way. My stomach churned and my heart dropped to my feet, splintering into tiny little pieces as the guilt crashed over me like an unwanted wave.**

**My head dropped forward, my hands automatically lifting from my lap to catch the weight. I pressed my face into my palms, hunching over to try and hide myself better.**

**I just wanted to disappear from the world, for a hole to open up beneath me and swallow me whole.**

**I can't believe all the things I put him through back then...**

**Did Haru know it was me all along? Surely he would've said something if he had, right?**

**Surely I meant more to him than just some annoying little girl who could be erased the moment I walked out of his life...**

**I guess I shouldn't talk though.**

**...Isn't that exactly what I did to him..?**

**"Hanako..."**

**My blurry gaze flicked up hesitantly to the tall teen beside me, my hands falling limply. I hadn't realised my eyes were watery until now.**

**I must look like an absolute mess...**

**I wiped at my face half-heartedly to rid myself of the embarrassment, but warm hands caught my own in a gentle grip, fingers gliding easily around my much smaller ones.**

**My hands were pulled away so he could get a better look at me, a kind smile gracing his face. I swallowed the rising lump in my throat and choked back the tears that threatened to fall.**

**I had to bite my bottom lip just to stop it from quivering.**

**"Hanako..." Makoto tried again, his voice the softest I'd ever heard it. It made it that much harder to keep a hold of myself. "You didn't do anything wrong."**

**You're mistaken, Makoto.**

**I did **_**everything**_** wrong...**

**...It's all because of me, that-...**

**...That we ended up this way.**

**A sudden jolt ran through my palms and I looked down in response. I'd been clenching my fists beneath the large hands enveloping them, my short nails biting into the skin and leaving crescent moon imprints.**

**I shook my head vigorously, brown strands flying hypnotically. The locks slowly settled back into place when the movement ceased, most falling to cover my face.**

**"Come with me, Shīru."**

**Rin suddenly stood, turning to face me with an extended hand. I reached out to take it without hesitation, but kept a shaky grip on Makoto's fingers.**

**The red-head pulled me up to stand beside him, but paused in making his retreat only when he noticed Makoto and I were still joined.**

**My cousin slowly followed suit, sharing a silent conversation with Rin before the two gave each other brief nods.**

**I glanced between them, head tilted back as they stood a good ruler's length above me. What were they discussing? It's impossible to tell when they mask their faces like that...**

**"I'll see you later, okay, Hanako?"**

**Worry settled in me at those words and I tightened my hold on Makoto, giving him a pleading look.**

**Why was he leaving? Where was he going? Why couldn't I go along?**

**He simply smiled reassuringly and carefully slipped his fingers out from my grip. My hand swung to hang loosely at my side as he gave a small wave before jogging back to where I assumed the others were waiting.**

**Rin nudged my side gently before pulling me along behind him, muttering a quiet, "Come on."**

**I could do nothing but follow him, wrapping myself around his arm as we continued on silently. He guided me to one of the mall's doors, both stepping out into the humid air and leaving the comfort of the A/C.**

**I didn't question where he was taking me, or why Makoto left. I didn't really want to face the rest of the Swim Club, so I was glad Rin dragged me away when he did.**

I needed time to think, to process it all. Rin knew that.

So on we walked, in silence, down the bustling streets of Iwatobi. Just like we used to all those years ago.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**This chapter is a three-parter, the next one will be the last, then regular chapters will presume.**

**This one's a bit shorter, sorry guys. I just felt it was right to leave it off where it is right now.**

**I'm also sorry that it's later than usual. I try to keep them posted on Fridays/Saturdays but this week got the best of me.**

**I'll try not to let it happen too often.**

**There may be some spelling mistakes here and there. It's been a long night and I think I'll get a good night's rest before even trying to attempt to fix all the errors. Sorry if this bothers you, but I wanted to get ****_something_**** out for you all before the weekend was over.**

**I'll proof-read it over first thing in the morning, promise.**

**Also, in case any of you are curious, this FF has been submitted into the Fandom Contest in Inkitt. There's not that many days left of the contest though and I entered pretty late into it, so I don't expect any miracle placing. In fact I'd be surprised if it even got views at all considering some of the competition.**

**There's a lot of FF written about popular shows/movies/animes which are getting a lot of the attention. Things like The Vampire Diaries, Fairy Tail, Harry Potter, etc.**

**I doubt a little FF from the Free! Iwatobi Swim Club fandom will ever get noticed amongst all those massive ones. But it was at least fun to enter. **

**Please leave your thoughts if you have any at all about the chapter! Anything I can improve? Anything need changing? Your input is greatly appreciated.**

**I don't really say this, simply because I feel it kind of goes without saying, but I'll make an effort to do it more often! I want to thank you all for taking time out of your days to sit and read what I've written/typed.**

**You could be doing anything else with your time, but you chose to spend it here, so thank you very much! I really am grateful.**


	12. Eleven - Old Friends, New Teacher? (3)

**Old Friends, New...Teacher?**

**(Part 3)**

**Chapter 11**

**^.^.^.^**

"That'll be four-hundred and twenty yen, please."

"Hm? Oh, right." Rin tore his gaze away from the convenient store's window to collect the amount of yen from his wallet before handing it over to the worker.

The middle aged man briefly glanced over the currency in his hand before sliding it into the cash register. Rin plucked the paid items off the counter, muttering a half-hearted farewell before exiting the shop.

Humid, sticky air flew over the boy in waves as he stepped out the doors and into the heat of Summer, leaving the coolness of the AC behind him.

"Oi," The maroon haired swimmer called to the person seated on one of the benches lining the footpath. Startled, the girl broke her stare with the pavement and flung her head in his direction, brunette tresses following the movement. "You shouldn't be sitting in the sun, you'll get a burn doing that."

The smaller teen let out a huff of a laugh, smiling softly as she reminisced over their childhood years while turning her gaze back down. "I don't burn as easily as I did when I was young."

"Is that so?" Rin mumbled sceptically, mostly to himself. He held out the two bottles clasped between his fingers, briskly poking his friend's shoulder with the ends of them to get her attention.

She quickly thanked the boy, taking hold of one. Rin sat himself beside the girl, cracking the cap open easily and taking a long, large gulp of the refreshing beverage. He lowered the bottle from his lips as he snuck a glance at the teen beside him.

She had the bottle grasped between her thighs, both hands covering the light blue lid. The little muscle she had in her arms were straining with the effort as she twisted her palms uselessly around the stubborn cap.

"Pass it here."

Hanako flicked a surprised gaze up to the swimmer, peaking through the gaps in her hair. She was currently leaning over the sealed drink, throwing all her effort into trying to get it to crack. Glancing down at her failed attempts of opening it, she soon admitted defeat by passing the clear container over to her friend.

A ghost of surprise flashed across Rin's face, but he quickly pushed it aside and took the bottle back from the weaker teen, successfully cracking it with little to no effort.

With an evident smirk upon his lips, Hanako playfully sneered at his silent jesting while reaching for her drink.

"What? Not even a thank you?"

Hanako huffed at the idea, sitting up a little bit straighter with her nose pointed towards the sky in mock snobbery. "Smug people don't deserve gratitude."

Rin clicked his tongue, exaggerating an annoyed expression as he turned his stare elsewhere. "I'll remember that the next time you need help, Hanako."

"Hanako?" The feminine teen shifted so she was entirely facing her friend this time, legs pulled up onto the bench with them. Her head tilted at the confusion crossing her features. "What happened to Shīru?"

The swimmer shot a sideways glance at his childhood friend, taking another swig of his drink before answering with, "Don't you think those nicknames are a bit childish now?"

Hanako's gaze was suddenly downcast, a small frown pulling at the corners of her lips. Rin's heart stuttered at the amazingly genuine sadness on the girl's face. He was almost about to take what he'd said back, until she finally came up with a reply.

"I guess...it could be seen as a bit childish now," She started slowly, wrapping her thin arms around her knees before flicking her eyes back up to him, green gaze glimmering in the light of the sun. "But it's still okay for you to call me Shīru, I don't mind. If..."

"_If_?" The boy prompted, sliding one eyebrow up to his hairline at the girl's sudden trail off.

She looked away again, as if thinking over what she wanted to say was right or not. Rin felt his entire being light up in a suffocating heat as his friend suddenly leaned forward, balancing on the tips of her toes and laying her cool, delicate hands on his very heated, burly arm to keep her balance.

He had to use every ounce of self-control not to jump away from the too-close-for-comfort girl, his eyes wavering under the intense gaze of sea foam orbs.

"If I can still call you Same-kun!"

Rin snapped. He had to tear his gaze away from the hopeful teens face just so his body temperature wouldn't go into over-drive. The swimmer was practically sizzling where he sat, though he blamed it more on the heat of the day rather than the closeness of his friend.

"S-sure..." It was a weak, mumbled response. So Rin wasn't surprised when Hanako didn't quite catch it.

Rin suddenly got up from the bench in a flustered heap, hand clenching around the half-empty bottle, the thin plastic caving under his vice grip. He needed to get out of the sun and cool off.

"I said it's-...fine. Do whatever you want."

Hanako's inquiring expression died away instantly, replaced by a smile so sweet Rin felt like he'd get cavities just looking at it.

Yep...definitely a relative of the Tachibana's. They all have that sickly sweet smile to them. Though, Rin thought it kind of suited the petite girl still squatting on the bench.

He'd hadn't known Hanako was Makoto's cousin until the boy's had talked about it at the hospital. But now, looking over his childhood friend, he's not quite sure how he didn't see it before.

They were eerily similar in both features and personalities. Hanako may have been a little rougher around the edges than Makoto as a child and more playful, but they definitely shared the same overwhelming caring and kindness they held towards every living thing.

Though comparing the Hanako now, to the Hanako of his past, he could see many differences upon just one glance. She'd gotten older, yes, that much was obvious. But it was more the way she held herself now.

Rin remembered the girl always carrying a subtle air of playful curiosity. While she wasn't big on the scarier side of things and spooked just as easily as her cousin, she still held a sense of adventure to her.

The swimmer couldn't see any of that remaining. Instead, it seemed to be replaced by an underlying fear. Rin hadn't noticed at first, but as the two walked through town he began to notice the littlest differences in Hanako's behaviour.

They'd passed over a bridge with a stream of running water beneath it. He'd expected her to run towards the edge and ogle at the 'marvellous beauty' of it like she had done many times as a child. He'd even been prepared to grab a hold of her collar in case she felt like going for a dip. Something that her and Haru seemed to have in common.

But no, his childhood friend hadn't run to the edge, hadn't exclaimed loudly about the beauty of the endless flow, hadn't made to dive in like she normally would've so many years ago.

Instead, Hanako shied away from the edge, reaching out almost instinctively and wrapping her small frame around one of his arms.

Rin was quite surprised by the girl's actions, but he didn't dare say anything. He didn't want to pry into her personal life.

Besides, he had a feeling he already knew the cause for her drastic change...

The afternoon wore on lazily, the two long-time friends wandering aimlessly through the town, stopping a couple times to cool off in the shade of an overhanging shop roof, or to gaze at something that caught the girl's eye.

Conversation came easily between the two, as easily as it did when they were younger. Rin was at least glad that hadn't changed.

Hanako would ask him things every now and then, interrupting whatever topic they'd been conversing over to point out something she found particularly interesting.

Rin found himself unconsciously smiling at the girl's antics, watching with a bemused expression plastered to his face as she skipped from one thing to another, always excited about anything new or piquing her interest.

The swimmer was glad his friend's mood had lifted considerably, compared to back at the mall. He wasn't quite sure why she'd reacted that way...he knew about what was spoken between his two friends before Hanako left for England, so he could kind of understand it.

But they were nothing but silly little words thrown around in the heat of an argument. Looking back on it now, Rin thought it was almost laughable that the two had even fought over something so..._ridiculous_. At least, it was to him.

And had Haru and Hanako really forgotten each other? That was what surprised Rin the most. His two childhood friends – who were practically joined at the hip whenever they hung out – not remembering each other in the least, _even_though they were on the same trip to Samezuka together?

It boggled Rin's mind...

"Same-kun, come here, come here! You have to look at this!" The maroon boy was plucked from his thoughts at the feeling of a gentle hand laying against his biceps. He glanced down at the girl beside him bouncing in excitement, letting out a playful 'tsk' before following after her pointed finger.

"I guess it can't be helped."

"What can't be helped?" Hanako paused in her pursuit to eyeball the tall male, blinking up at his face, blissfully unaware of the turmoil Rin's head was going through with all these thoughts floating around inside.

"Never mind. What was it you wanted to show me?" Without missing a beat, the girl jumped right back into her heated explanation of the most fascinating thing she's ever found, Rin smirking all the way as he was dragged along for the ride.

. . .

Pulling the dorm key from his pocket, Rin made quick work of the lock, letting the door swing open and inviting his guest into the room.

He followed the small figure inside, briefly closing the door behind him.

Hanako mumbled under her breath at her intrusion, taking the opportunity to observe the room while Rin made his way over to the bottom bunk and flopped heavily onto the mattress.

She watched quietly from the corner of the room as he flipped his phone open and roughly skimmed over the messages left by other people.

"You can sit, you know."

Hanako jumped at the sudden break of the silence. "R-right." Heading over to the desk nearest her, she pulled the chair out and seated herself upon it, folding her hands in her lap. She wasn't sure why, but being in a boy's dorm room made her feel a little on edge.

Stirring from the bed caught the girl's attention and she glanced over at her friend. He was sitting up now, briskly finishing off a quick text before slamming his phone shut and throwing it carelessly onto the bed.

Rin stood, stretching out his arms before looking over at the petite girl seated at his desk. "I'm gonna head to practice now, it'll be starting soon."

Hanako gave him a silent nod, shifting awkwardly in the desk chair. The swimmer noticed this and quickly turned towards the narrow wardrobe holding his belongings, muttering a stiff, "You can hide out here till it's over, if you want. Just don't get caught."

He glanced back at the smaller teen after grabbing his swimsuit and goggles. Her face lit up, gratefulness evident in her eyes as she locked her gaze with his.

"Thank you, Same-kun."

Rin gave a curt nod in response, feeling a tinge of heat climbing up the back of his neck. He wasn't sure if leaving a girl all alone in the boy's dorm was the best idea...but he knew she wouldn't want to be anywhere near the pool – going off what he's seen so far today – so it's not like she really had anywhere else to stay.

"Won't be long." The swimmer mumbled under his breath, maroon locks swinging as he abruptly turned around and marched towards the door, roughly scooping up the towel hanging off to the side before exiting the room.

Hanako watched him leave, feeling her stomach twist just the slightest bit at the realisation of suddenly being alone. She jumped from the chair and headed to the door, reaching out and locking it securely.

The brunette felt a little safer now that she knew no one else could get in.

. . .

The smell of chlorine was over-powering as the four boys entered the building, warm air washing over them and carrying the smell of chemicals to their noses.

Haruka found himself inhaling deeply, relishing in the tantalising smell of water and chlorine combined.

He suddenly had the irresistible urge to swim. To rid himself of the uncomfortable fabric's covering him and dive into the blissful body before him. Haru made a move to strip from his shirt and throw it off to the side, but a jarring pain flaring up in his shoulder quickly ceased the swimmer's actions.

His best friend noticed the sudden halt and turned to face the shorter male, head tilted in that concerned way he always did.

"Haru..?"

The blue-eyed boy turned his head away from the other teen, lowering his hand from the hem of his shirt. He said nothing, which only caused Makoto's frown to deepen.

Small, firm hands suddenly clasped the boys shoulders and steered them over to the direction of the change rooms. Makoto watched as his friend's face silently contorted in pain, shrugging his shoulder up ever so slightly to try and shift the offending hand resting on it.

The two were pushed inside, Gou giving them a stern warning to stop dawdling and hurry and change.

"Shall we go in then, Haru-chan?"

The raven boy said nothing, merely side glancing at the backstroke swimmer before heading over to a vacant locker. Makoto followed him in, keeping a close eye on his friend. Something was very wrong, the freestyle swimmer hadn't even _flinched_at the adding of '-chan' to his name.

They changed in silence, Makoto already slinging his goggles around his neck and placing his folded clothes into the open locker space. Haruka on the other hand was still struggling with his shirt.

Haru had managed to get his jeans off with little effort, kicking them away carelessly when they reached his ankles. But it was getting the other item of clothing over his head that served to be the real challenge.

He'd tried at first to do it in a discreet way as to not alert Makoto to his troubles, but after a minute of wrestling with the material Haru had had enough and was now pulling at it with clenched fists, but he couldn't for the life of him lift his arm high enough without jarring his shoulder.

"...Haru."

The swimmer stopped moving, arms paused where they were at the sound of a stern, yet gentle voice behind him. He refused to look back at his best friend, opting instead to fixate his stare on the scrubbed tiles.

Makoto moved to stand behind Haruka. He hated doing this, but he had to see for himself what the problem was. The teen moved his fingers to latch onto the hem of his friend's shirt, and despite the protests of the raven boy, Makoto lifted the cotton in one swift motion, pulling it up and over the surprised swimmer's head.

The shirt fell to the floor, but the green-eyed boy's attention was focused not on the material, but on the very large, very noticeable bruise spread across the entirety of his best friend's shoulder and upper back.

"H-Haru...what-"

"It's nothing." Makoto was cut off with a dismissive reply from the other, his face as stoic as ever despite the pain he must've been in.

The brunette stepped forward to the retreating form of his friend, hands pulling the towel clasped between his fingers taught as his concerned gaze trailed after the massive bruise.

"It's not nothing, Haru! Just how did this happen?"

"Buzz off, Makoto. You'll be late for practice."

There it was again, the famous wall that Haruka puts up when he wants to shut everyone out. Well not this time. For once in his life Makoto was going to push for an answer.

He didn't care about being late for practice, in fact he'd miss it a thousand times over if it meant getting an answer out of his best friend.

With deliberate steps this time, the brunette laid a firm hand on the boy's shoulder which wasn't hurt, earning him a pointed stare.

No, he wouldn't back down, not this time. This was urgent, and he needed his friend to understand that.

"Haruka," He was serious. Makoto never used the boy's full name unless he was _completely_serious about something. With a reluctant exhale, Haru turned to face the taller male, brushing off the warm hand in the process. "Tell me...how did this-" He gestured softly towards the eye-catching bruise, "-happen?"

Haru knew he wasn't getting anywhere by giving his friend the cold shoulder, so he eventually gave in and explained what Makoto desperately wanted to hear.

"...The bridge."

Ah...it all made sense now. Makoto was a little surprised at himself for not figuring that one out on his own, though he chalked it up to the fact that he hadn't been thinking irrationally because of the shock at seeing such an injury on one of his closest friends.

"Is that why you haven't been attending the practices all week?"

Makoto's voice was back to being as gentle as ever, an understanding expression replacing the firm crease in his brows from just a moment ago. Haruka gave a short nod, turning to pick up the shirt and jeans strewn across the tiles and place them in his locker.

"...You know I have to tell the others, right?"

The raven boy spun around so fast Makoto almost thought he was going to be assaulted for suggesting such a thing, but he was met with nothing but a harsh stare. "No-...!"

He knew the rest of Haruka's cut off sentence. Gentle green eyes connected with hard blue, only confirming his thoughts. "-You don't want the others to worry. I know, Haru..." He paused, placing a hand to his neck and rubbing it almost exhaustingly. "But what do you want me to do? It needs to be looked after."

Haru turned his head, stony eyes melting as he flicked his gaze elsewhere. "..._She _did."

"She..?" Makoto repeated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Ah, do you mean Hanako?" It can't possibly be Gou, she would've said something for sure to the rest of the team about Haruka's condition.

A silent nod confirmed the boy's guess.

So his cousin was in on the secret, huh? He wasn't sure how he felt about that...

At least it meant the two were sort of getting along...right?

Makoto was suddenly reminded of the incident at the mall earlier today. By the sounds of it, they used to know each other, and even got along extremely well when they were younger.

So why do they rub each other the wrong way now? Why don't they even remember one another?

Deciding to test his luck – something the boy would never usually do – Makoto asked another question, hoping Haru was still in the mood to answer him.

"Hey...did you two really know each other back then?" Makoto waited with bated breath for the other boy's response. They locked eyes again, staring silently until one finally caved. It was Haruka.

The raven swimmer huffed and turned on his heel, eyes closing as he reached for his small blue towel. Makoto let out a soft chuckle, bringing a hand to his mouth to hide his growing smile as he watched the silent male making his way towards the exit.

He guessed he'd pushed his luck a bit too far today. Calling out to his friend, he jogged to catch up to the teen, reaching for the blue towel and carefully draping it across the swimmers shoulders to cover the bruise.

"I'll come up with an excuse for you to sit out." The brunette flashed the shorter male a reassuring smile, as always, before continuing on with his jog to reach Rin and explain whatever excuse Makoto had conjured up in that head of his.

Haruka watched from the sidelines, seating himself on a bench while the rest of his team lined up at the diving block. He caught sight of Makoto sending him a quick thumbs up, indicating that his lie had worked.

Blue eyes fluttered down to his feet, watching his toes wriggle against the cool, wet surface beneath them. "...Thanks." He mumbled quietly, knowing his friend wouldn't hear him, but feeling he had to say it anyway.

. . .

The hallway was quiet, save for the background noise of the AC running. Ever so quietly, I snuck out through the crack of the door, brunette locks bouncing as I tip-toed across the wooden floor.

I'd heard several students returning to their respective dorms, and didn't want to disturb – or be caught – by any of them.

In fact, I'd actually been busted by the room mate that Rin shared with not too long ago.

That introduction was definitely an awkward one.

I'd been sprawled out over Rin's mattress, perched on my stomach and ankles crossed as I flipped through the various magazines I'd found under the bed while snooping.

Some of them were pretty fun to look at, while others were...not exactly safe for work. I'd quickly tossed those back where I'd found them, my face probably rivalling that of an active volcano.

When I heard the sound of a lock opening, I'd frozen on the spot, hand paused in turning a page as my head snapped up in the direction of the opening door.

There he was, Rin's room mate, clad in nothing but his swimsuit and the Samezuka jacket. He was wiping half-heartedly at his damp hair, eyes closed as he moved around the room like clockwork.

I just continued to lay there, paralysed in fear and embarrassment at being caught hiding out in a boy's dorm room.

This is bad. _Very_bad. But he hasn't noticed me yet...so maybe I can just sneak my way ou-

A creak of springs alerted the stranger to my presence, the muscular male whipping around to face the intruder.

An inhuman squeak left the cage of my lips, my eyes saucer wide as I silently stared up at the bulky teenager in front of me.

I wanted to say something. To explain the situation. To beg that he didn't tell anyone else I was here, but I couldn't get my voice to respond. All I could do was hold this strange swimmers gaze.

It felt like minutes passed, neither one of us daring to budge an inch. My leg was starting to shake with the effort it took to hold me up. I'd managed to get halfway off the bed before my cover was blown. I'd been caught in a rather uncomfortable position and it was starting to take a toll on my undeveloped muscles.

Just then I heard calling from the other side of the door, followed by three short raps on wood. The dark haired boy snapped out of his daze and quickly scooped up whatever he'd came here for, throwing his towel haphazardly across the room to land on one of the desks before making his way back to the entrance of the room.

We spoke not a word to each other as he left, muttering something about 'talking to Rin later on' while pulling the door shut behind him.

I'd sank onto the bed with a very loud, very large sigh, exhaling all the held oxygen within my lungs.

I didn't want something like that to happen again, so here I was, sneaking down the hallway and praying to the heavens above that no one decided to suddenly come out of their rooms for a potty break.

Once reaching the stairs, I dashed down them like prey trying to escaping the predators and all but tore through the automatic sliding doors that lead outside, barely giving them a chance to open before I was shoving my way out.

I gulped down the cool evening air greedily, glad to be outside again. It wasn't as hot now that the sun was sinking behind the horizon, a pleasant breeze playfully tussling my hair.

Sorry, Rin, but I can't stay in your room anymore. Please don't be mad at me...

"...Where to now?" The sky was currently at it's brightest, hues of all the warm colours painted across it's surface. The clouds held a tender touch of peach within them, the sun's rays shining magnificently through their fluffy mass.

Without any idea of where I was going, my feet started carrying me forward. And I let them.

They led me down a cobbled path, passing by a well-kept garden flanking either side. I gingerly ran my fingers over the tall, beautiful flowers, the tips being coated in a light dusting of pollen.

I rubbed the microscopic grains between my thin digits thoughtfully. Summer may be hot and humid, but it definitely had it's good sides too, like the flowering of all these wonderful plants.

I've never really been one for greenery, but I can certainly appreciate the time and effort some people put into making a garden look as amazing as this one.

A tall, long shed like building came into sight, piquing my curiosity. Edging a little closer, I began to notice the waves of people exiting one side of it.

They all had towels around their necks, wet hair dripping onto their school jackets.

This must be Samezuka's swimming pool...

Just about to turn away, a thought suddenly struck me, stopping my retreating feet in their tracks. Rin might still be in there. I could find him and explain what happened.

But...there's _that_in there...

No, Hanako. This isn't the time to be whimpering out over a little bit of water. If Rin's room mate alerts the school to my being stashed away in the boy's dorms he'll be punished for sure!

He even told me not to get caught, the least I can do is warn him now that the secret is out.

I waited by the bushes for the last of the swimmers to leave, trying to make myself as camouflaged as possible with the nature surrounding me.

It was extremely hard with a bright teal top and white shorts, but somehow I made it work.

Another few minutes passed, and when I deemed it safe to enter, I jumped out of my hiding spot and rushed inside to avoid being noticed.

My heart stopped at the sight before me.

...Definitely...more than just a _little_bit of water...

The pool had to stretch at least hundred meters to the other side. And that was just a rough estimate.

My knees felt very wobbly all of a sudden, the bones turning to jelly. I reached out, my fingers brushing against the cool wall beside me.

Ever so carefully, I pressed my back against it and creeped along the edge, hands and feet moving slowly, slowly...until I couldn't stand anymore. I sank to the damp cement, not caring in the least that the chemical moisture was soaking into the bottom of my shorts.

My arms stayed firmly pressed against the surface behind me, my breathing eventually coming back down to a much more normal pace.

The blood in my veins was still pumping as fast as ever, but as I sat there, inhaling the clumps of thick, heavy chlorine that clung to the sticky air in here I felt a sense of...calm, seep over me.

I guess calm isn't really the right word for it, as I was still very aware of the pounding of my heart and the fear in my gut...but it was almost like those things had been drowned out, pushed aside to make room for the other string of emotions connected to water that I held.

They were ones I hadn't felt in so long, I'd almost forgotten them completely. Up until now my life had been nothing but a constant fear of what might happen, what _will_happen, every time I lay my eyes on something large enough to drown in.

But sitting here, gazing at the large expanse of water only ten or so feet away, I felt nothing but...longing.

. . .

The world always looked so different from beneath the surface of the water. Everything was unfocused and constantly shifting, yet there was a strange sense of stability and clarity to it as well.

Haruka couldn't really explain it.

Gliding lazily through the embrace of the pool, the raven boy turned his back to the surface so he was facing the black lines on the bottom. He'd waited a full two hours for the session to be done with and everyone to leave just so he could get in.

Haru had been checking the clock around the minute, his impatience only growing when the little red hand seemed to tick by slower and slower with each glance.

Finally, he'd been able to swim in a pool after almost an entire week. A week. In _Summer._That was a new record set for the freestyle swimmer that he never wanted to break.

His team had left with Rin to pick up some take-away dinner while Haru decided to stay and wait for them. The teasing call of the pool was just too much to ignore, so he'd quickly taken the opportunity to sneak in some swim time while the others were gone.

He was completely alone. Well, at least he had been.

The swimmer wasn't sure at first, but he thought he heard the sound of feet slapping across the floor in a hurried pace. It stopped all of a sudden though, as if the person the feet belonged to had come to a sudden halt.

Haruka dismissed it as one of the Samezuka swimmers coming back to collect whatever they'd left behind. He still didn't want to get caught for swimming after hours though.

Moving silently within the blue body, Haruka glided to the wall nearest him and pressed himself against it, waiting the person out.

The boy had already been under for a good minute or two and he could feel the pressure starting to build in his lungs. He needed more air, and soon.

A slight bang was heard from above. No other noises followed after that, but Haruka stayed where he was. Whoever it was might still be hanging around.

Another minute passed, and the swimmer was finding it increasingly harder to hang onto what little oxygen he had left. He could feel oncoming faint creeping it's way towards him, his head growing light and his vision darkening at the edges.

He had to surface, whether the person was there or not. Spinning around, Haruka placed both hands against the pale blue wall and pushed off and up, the rush of friction between him and water dissipating as his head broke the surface.

Haru's ears were suddenly assaulted by a shrill shriek, shocking the panting boy into flinging his eyelids open and staring accusingly at whoever made such a disgruntling sound.

His heart dropped and his stomach churned at who he saw curled into a defensive ball in front of him. Usually he'd just brush her off and continue on his way without a second thought.

...But that was before he knew who she really was.

Now knowing, Haruka had no idea on what to do. Does he dive back down and pretend he never saw her? Does he get out and leave?

No. That wasn't an option.

Does he ask _her_to leave?

Had he asked himself that before the mall, he would've said yes in a heartbeat, but now...he couldn't bring himself to shrug the girl off anymore.

Haru stayed silent, wading at the edge of the pool as the other teen slowly came to her senses, her eyes shining with relief when she realised she wasn't under attack. Though when they landed on the raven boy she might as well have shouted 'oh no, anyone but _you_' to his face.

She looked as reluctant and awkward as he felt, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her pale arms around them, hair swishing as she turned her head to break the stare.

Haruka felt an emotion stir within him that he hadn't felt for years, one he thought he'd never feel again for quite some time to come. It was guilt.

Guilt for what happened that day as the memories replayed in his head. He'd never really forgotten about them, more like pushed them away so he wouldn't have to deal with it.

He still couldn't believe that Hanako, Makoto's cousin, was the same adventurous, playful and caring child he knew all those years ago.

She was completely different now. She feared everything, she was timid and flighty. The smallest things made her jump. Even him coming up for air was enough to earn a scream.

Haruka just couldn't believe it. He refused to.

Hanako tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, cheeks heating up in embarrassment at the heavy glare pointed her way. What was he doing here? Isn't practice supposed to be over?

Everyone else looked like they'd left, so why was Haruka still swimming?

...Wait, he's swimming?!

The girl's eyes flicked back to the dripping boy in the pool, panic crossing her face. His shoulder, it hasn't gotten any better, so why is he pushing himself?!

"N-..." The brunette had to clear her throat and swallow down the collected saliva before trying to continue, those piercing blue orbs making it incredibly hard to stay focused and not shy away. "Nanase...why...w-why are you swimming? You shouldn't b-"

"It called."

Hanako started, blinking dumbly at the boy's rushed response.

"W-what?"

Haruka shifted his gaze to the liquid embracing his form, jet black hair sticking to his forehead and framing his face as he elaborated. "The water. It called me."

The teen sat there, absorbing the silence around them as she thought his answer over. It vaguely reminded her of something she used to hear from him all the time when they were kids.

A quiet laugh caught the swimmers attention, catching him off guard. He turned to stare incredulously at the girl before him, wondering if she's finally lost it.

Hanako was hiding a smile behind her hand, eyes closed as she suppressed any further laughing. Brunette tresses thrown over her shoulders and knees pressed together as her feet slid slightly apart, taking on a much more relaxed position.

Haruka found himself a little awestruck. He'd only seen this type of laughter once before, by this exact person almost seven years ago now. The sight of it was almost...

Nostalgic.

She only ever laughed like that if she was laughing at someone. Which means...

"...Oi."

Hanako peeked a glance at the swimmer, foamy eyes sparkling as she reminisced about the old days. "Ah, s-sorry! It's just..." She trailed off, gazing out at the clam surface of the water, that earlier gleam in her eye overshadowed by a familiar loneliness he'd seen that night before she'd ran out onto the bridge. "...You reminded me of back then."

Haruka lowered himself a little further into the pool, the chlorinated water coming up to his nose. Hanako noticed this and gave a hesitant smile, her gaze quickly faltering when it moved back to him.

Another silence ensued, but this time Haruka was the one to break it. "Why?"

"Huh?" The girl wasn't sure what he was asking. She gave him a questioning look with a tilt of her head, much like Makoto would. It still surprised him how he'd never noticed a similarity between the two when they were younger.

"Why did you lie about not being able to swim?"

"Oh..." She turned away again, chin coming to rest upon her knees. That forlorn look was back. Haruka didn't like seeing it. It didn't look..._right_, didn't belong there.

She gave a gentle shake of her head, a thin brown curtain falling to mask her face. "It wasn't a lie...I really can't swim."

"You can." He argued, remembering back to when all three of them, himself, Rin and Hanako used to swim at the beach. "You were good."

Hanako's eyes narrowed, a shimmer of light reflecting off the coat of oncoming tears. Her voice became shaky, as did her hands. "That was before the accident."

The swimmer kept quiet. He knew what she was talking about. There family yacht had been caught in a freak storm out in the middle of the ocean. Only two of the three on that weekend holiday came back to Iwatobi.

"I hate it, you know..."

Haru's attention was caught once again by the girl's sombre voice, her vocal cords on the verge of cracking. He knew she hated it, the sight of water. It was the reason for the boy's cold shouldering her in the first place.

Hanako's lips pulled into a frail smile, knowing exactly the thoughts going through the stoic boy's head. "It's not the water I hate, Nanase."

His brows knit together at her words. The smaller teen knew he was confused.

"It's my fear of it that I hate," She inhaled shakily, blowing the held breath out through pursed lips to try and keep herself calm. Haruka said nothing, so the brunette took it as a sign to continue. "I can't swim anymore because whenever I get into water, even when I _think_of it, I freeze up. My body has a mind of it's own. I can't move, I can't breathe, I just-..."

Hanako had to stop herself from going off into a rant. The last thing she wanted to do was scare away the boy she was finally making some progress with by jumping into a tirade of her problems.

"I hate that I'm so weak now..."

"You're not weak."

Haru's words surprised the startled teen as much as they had himself. But he continued on, in a much more neutral tone this time with, "...Being afraid doesn't make you weak."

In all her life, Hanako never thought Haruka, someone obsessed with the very thing he was submerged in right now, would ever argue against her being weak for her fears of what he loved so much. In fact, she'd kind of expected the opposite.

A grateful smile creeped it's way over her pale features, lighting up her face the tiniest bit. Though Haru could still detect the underlying self-doubt.

The swimmer was quickly distracted by a silver sheet being held out in front of him. He flicked his blue gaze to it wordlessly, realising what it was.

"Please take some." Hanako insisted, bowing her head slightly as she gently pushed them further in his direction. Haruka hesitated, looking up to the girl with a questioning glance.

It took a bit, but she finally realised why he was giving her such an expectant look and quickly moved to pull the water bottle from her bag, heat flushing up her neck and spreading across her cheeks. "R-right! Here!"

The boy took both items, popping the right amount of pills out before washing them down with the provided beverage. He'd been surprised that the seal of it was broken, yet hadn't been drunken from until now.

Was she afraid of water in bottles as well? Haruka found the thought slightly ridiculous. But it got him thinking on what else she was possibly scared of. Probably _anything_water related.

He handed the bottle and sheet back, watching silently as the brunette tucked the items back into their respective spots before looking at him once more.

Her cheeks grew a shade darker as she cast her eyes at her feet, fingers twisting around each other nervously. Had he done something weird without realising? He didn't understand her sudden flustered state at all.

"You know..." She began quietly, still not looking up to meet his gaze. "I really miss it."

He waited patiently for Hanako to continue, deciding it'd be better if she went on at her own pace instead of him rushing her.

His tactic worked, because soon after she delved into an explanation. "I miss the way water feels. I miss the exciting rush I got every time I dove in, every time I connected with it. I miss swimming with-...with the people I know.

I thought I'd never need water after what happened, that I'd be content with living on land for the rest of my life and never once setting foot into it again. But I was wrong...you made me realise how much I actually miss it all."

A choked laugh left the balled up girl and flowed through the building, bouncing off the walls and coming back to Haruka's ears. It sounded so melancholy.

"You probably didn't even intend to, but every time I caught you staring at water – and even things in relation to it, you made me remember what it used to be like. How much I used to adore swimming."

She was crying, though it was silent. There were no sobs following the wet trail sliding down her pallid cheeks. Haruka watched as her petite frame trembled with the effort it took to hold back the hysterics.

The earlier guilt he'd felt before suddenly came crashing back over him like a flash flood: strong and completely unexpected.

It was a rare thing for him to feel bad over things, but this was one of those times. As his uneasy stare faltered on the girl's shaking form, he suddenly made up his mind.

"Swim with me."

She stopped, paused in her unstable state to stare bewilderedly back into the pools of various blue shades watching her intently. "W-...what?"

Haruka broke their gaze by instead looking at the water running down the length of his hand, trailing along his wrist and arm, before finally dropping off at the point of his elbow. The ripples were small, but they still distorted Haru's reflection on the surface.

"I'll teach you how to swim again, so-..." Hanako blinked at the sight of the uneasy swimmer, long, dark lashes brushing against her cheeks briefly before her eyelids flew back open in wonder at the boy. "...so don't be afraid anymore, and swim."

If Haruka could help to get someone over their fear of water, especially someone who used to love it almost as much as he does, then he was more than willing to help rid that person of their fear. All for the sake of water.

The toothy smile on Hanako's small face was so radiant compared to her sullen look that Haru thought he was going to go blind if he looked directly at her. The girl tilted her head down, still grinning from ear to ear as she ran her fingers through the length of the brown locks dangling over her shoulder, sea-green eyes glistening not with unshed tears, but with renewed hope sparked somewhere deep within her soul.

For the first time since seeing her this week, the raven swimmer could finally say she looked happy, looked _alive_.

The two bathed in the slightly awkward, yet somehow comforting atmosphere surrounding them, neither one feeling the need to break it this time.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**I'm pretty sure this chapter has over 7,000 words...R.I.P 2,000-5,000 limit. ****There you go, the last part is finally up. Though I feel a little...iffy I guess, about the second half of this chapter. I think the first half turned out okay, and the second bit isn't **_**bad**_**, it just...doesn't flow as well?**

**I don't know. It might just be me. I can't really see any other way of writing it out though, so I probably won't be changing it.**

**Regardless, I hope you enjoyed and that the wait for the third part was worth it. The second half of the title finally makes sense now, yes?**

**Also! I've decided to start posting little drabbles related to this FF. It's called The Watery Drabbles of Free! and will basically contain a mixture of short scenes I couldn't fit into the main story of A Test of Courage (ATOC for short) or random pieces I wanted to write for the fun of it.**

**So far there's only one up right now, but there will be more to come, just don't expect them to have set posting schedules. There's quite a few ideas floating around in my head, but they wouldn't appear until much later on in this story, so I can't post them over there for fear of any plot/relationship spoilers on ATOC.**

**In any case, please look out for them if you're interested at all in some random, drabbly goodness.**


End file.
